JETS RELEASE FIVE PLAYERS
New York City, N.Y. – The New York Jets announced today that the following players have been released from the roster: CB Ray Mickens, S Derek Pagel, RB Delvin Joyce, G Dave Yovanovits and CB Roosevelt Williams. The announcement was made by Jets Executive Vice President/General Manager Terry Bradway.
Mickens, a 5-8, 180-pound cornerback, was selected by the Jets in the third round of the 1996 Draft by the Jets out of Texas A & M. Until his release, Mickens was the longest tenured member of the Jets defense and trailed only WR Wayne Chrebet (11 years) for the longest tenure on the team. Mickens, who missed all of last season with a knee injury suffered during training camp, appeared in 126 regular season games for the Jets, making 36 starts, and accumulated 365 tackles, 79 passes defensed, 11 interceptions for 30 yards six sacks, four forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries. In addition to his regular season contributions, Mickens played in five postseason games for the Jets, making two starts, and adding 15 tackles and a pass defensed. Mickens scored the lone TD of his Jets career in 1997 (9/21) when he scooped up a Cole Ford field goal attempt that had been blocked vs. Oakland and scurried 72-yards for the game winning TD to complete the scoring at 23-22.
Pagel, 6-1, 208-pounds, was drafted by the Jets in the fifth round of the 2003 draft out of the University of Iowa. Pagel played in 19 games over the course of his first two seasons with the Jets, seeing the majority of his time on special teams. He has recorded 24 special teams tackles and five tackles on defense throughout his young career.
Joyce, 5-7, 190-pounds, was in his first season with the Jets after having spent the majority of the last three seasons with the Giants. Joyce, who was locked in a battle for playing time with Curtis Martin, Derrick Blaylock, rookie Cedric Houston and newly signed RB Terry Butler, owns 13 career carries for 41 yards, seven special teams tackles, 48 career kickoff returns for 1,085 yards (22.6 avg.) and 27 punt returns for an average of 8.1 yards per return. Joyce was signed as a free agent by the Jets on April 4, 2005.
Yovanovits, a native of Stanhope, NJ, was tabbed by the Jets in the seventh round of the 2003 Draft by the Jets out of Temple. He spent the majority of his rookie season on the active roster but was inactive for all 16 games. He then split time between the Jets? practice squad and active roster last season, playing four games, primarily on special teams field goal blocking units and kickoff return units. The 6-3, 294-pound Yovanovits was inactive for both of the Jets? playoff games last season.
Williams, 6-1, 210-pounds, was signed by the Jets as a free agent on August 2, 2005. He was signed by the Washington Redskins on January 25, 2005 and was released by the team on May 24. Williams, originally selected in the third-round of the 2002 Draft by the Chicago Bears, was waived by the Bears on August 31, 2003 and then was claimed on waivers by the Denver Broncos the following day. He was waived by the Broncos on Sept. 16 and signed by the Cleveland Brown on Sept. 25, 2003. Williams has played in 25 games throughout his career, made 20 tackles, had four passes defensed, recovered two fumbles and added four special teams stops. Williams is a native of Jacksonville, FL and attended Tuskegee.
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