JETS SET FINAL ROSTER
New York City – The New York Jets announced today they have waived defensive backs Atari Bigby, Aaron Francisco and Brandon Haw, running backs Terry Butler and Little John Flowers, quarterback Kevin Eakin, defensive linemen Joey Evans, Radell Lockhart and Tim McGill, wide receivers Chas Gessner, Terrence Stubbs, Harry Williams and Jovan Witherspoon, linebackers Dennis Haley and James Kinney, offensive linemen Michael King, Mike Kracalik and Chuck Missant, and fullback Austine Nwabuisi. The announcements were made by Jets’ Executive Vice President/General Manager Terry Bradway.
Bigby, a rookie free agent from the University of Central Florida, signed with the Jets on August 11, 2005, and saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games as a cornerback. He finished his collegiate career with 366 tackles. Bigby was born in Jamaica (9/19/81) and graduated from Miami Senior High School in 2000.
Butler, a 6-1, 200-pound Syracuse, NY native signed with the Jets on July 30, 2005, and saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games. In his four seasons at Villanova, Butler rushed for 2,080 yards on 464 carries (4.5 avg.) and 17 touchdowns and added 70 receptions for 717 yards (10.2 avg.) and five scores.
Eakin, a two-year starter at Fordham University, signed with the Jets on January 11, 2005, and played in the Club’s final preseason game and finished 1-for-1 passing for 18 yards. He won the starting quarterback job for NFL Europe’s Frankfurt Galaxy in the spring of 2005. The 6-1, 230-pound former Ram completed 60.7% of his passes as a collegian.
Evans, a 6-4, 279-pound defensive end, originally signed with the Jets following the 2003 season and served on the practice squad for the majority of 2004. He saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games in 2005 and recorded two sacks. The University of North Carolina product was originally drafted in the seventh round of the 2002 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals.
Flowers, a 6-0, 215-pound running back out of Michigan State, saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games and finished with the second most carries on the team (24) for the second most yards (85) and one touchdown. He originally signed with the Jets as a rookie free agent on 4/26/02 and spent time on the Jets’ practice squad during portions of the 2002, 2003 and 2004 seasons. While at Michigan State, he played in 45 games and finished his career with 156 carries for 778 yards and three touchdowns, along with 50 receptions for 435 yards.
Francisco, a 6-2, 212 pounds conerback, signed with the Jets on August 28, 2005, after being released by the Arizona Cardinals on Monday, August 22 after he signed with them as an undrafted free agent on April 25. He saw action in the Jets’ final preseason game at Philadelphia and finished with three tackles and two passes defended. Francisco hails from Laie, HI, and attended Brigham Young University. During his senior year, Francisco recorded 88 tackles (43 solo) and had one sack and one interception. He finished his career with the Cougars with 330 tackles (167 solo) and seven interceptions.
Gessner, is a 6-4, 215-pound wide receiver from Brown University was signed to the Jets practice squad on October 5, 2004, before signing to the 2005 Jets’ active roster on January 18. Gessner saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games and finished with two catches for 41 yards and one touchdown. He was originally signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent following the 2003 NFL Draft on May 2, 2003, and spent the majority of the 2003 season on New England’s practice squad. Gessner was allocated to NFL Europe this past spring and garnered All-League honors after registering 38 catches for 566 yards (14.9 avg.). He was also tied for the League-high in touchdown receptions with six.
Haley, a 6-1, 247-pound linebacker from Virginia, signed with the Jets on April 29, 2005, and saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games. He played in 32 collegiate games for the Cavaliers and finished with 103 tackles, five passes defensed, four sacks, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
Haw, a 6-0, 200-pound product of Rutgers, signed with the Jets on August 2, 2005 after he was waived by the Miami Dolphins on July 24. He saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games. Haw hails from Washington, DC and attended Rutgers University where he was a four-year starter at Rutgers who finished his career with 137 tackles, eight-and-a-half sacks, six interceptions and 29 pass breakups.
King, a 6-3, 298 pound guard from Northwestern (LA) State, signed with the Jets on April 29, 2005 after he played in 10 games as an offensive lineman as a collegian, having battled through a stretched brachial plexus injury as a junior. He saw action in three of the four Jets’ preseason games.
Kinney, was claimed off of waivers from the Jacksonville Jaguars on August 25, 2005, and saw action in the Jets’ final preseason game. The 6-1, 244-pound native of Chicago owns the Missouri school record for most-career tackles with 463 stops after playing in 47 collegiate games and starting 38 of the contests.
Kracalik, a 6-8, 337-pound San Diego State product signed with the Jets on May 1, 2005, and played in all four of the Jets’ preseason games. He played in 36 games and made 30 starts at the collegiate rank. In four seasons as an Aztec he played guard as well as both left and right tackle.
Lockhart, a 6-3, 277-pound defensive end from North Carolina’s Catawba College, signed with the Jets’ to a 2005 contract on January 11. He saw action in all four of the Jets’ preseason games and recorded one sack.
Nwabuisi, a 6-1, 235-pound product of the University of Kansas signed with the Jets on April 29, 2005 and played in all four of the Jets’ preseason games. During his college career he scored six touchdowns, including three his senior season. He had 17 carries his first three years, and rushed 25 times for 98 yards his senior year, including touchdown runs against Toledo, Texas and Missouri.
McGill, a 6-2, 330 pound defensive tackle was signed to the Jets’ practice squad on September 27, 2004. He saw action in all four Jets’ preseason games and recorded one sack. He joined the Jets from the New York Dragons of the Arena Football League. In 2004, McGill started 13-of-16 games and posted 11 tackles, one forced fumble, two passes defensed and one sack. In his 27-game career, McGill has totaled 24 tackles, one forced fumble, two passes defensed and three sacks.
Missant, a 6-3, 295-pound Western Michigan product, spent time with the 2004 New York Dragons before joining the Jets on April 8, 2005. He played in all four of the Jets’ preseason games in 2005.
Stubbs, a 5-11, 190-pound wide receiver from Temple University, spent the 2004 season on the Jets’ practice squad before signing a 2005 contract with the Jets on January 24. He played in all four Jets’ preseason games and finished with one reception for six yards. While at Temple, Stubbs made 16 starts in 33 games and caught 65 passes for 893 yards and two touchdowns.
Williams, a 6-3, 185-pound product of Tuskegee, was a seventh round selection by the Jets after he finished his colligate career with 83 receptions for 1,584 yards (19.1 avg.) and eight touchdowns. He saw action in the Jets’ first preseason game and caught two passes for 13 yards.
Witherspoon, 6-3, 210 pound wide receiver from Central Michigan, signed with the Jets on April 29, 2005. He saw action in all four preseason games and finished with one reception for 11 yards. He originally began his collegiate career at Notre Dame after a standout prep career at Bishop Luers High School in Fort Wayne, IN before transferring to William Rainey Harper College in Palantine, IL before transferring to CMU.