The Jets will try the NFL’s new kickoffs with out their greatest protection specialist.
Justin Hardee, who was a 2022 Professional Bowl choice within the second of his three seasons with the Jets, signed a free-agent contract Tuesday with the Browns. The 2-time captain is returning to his native Cleveland.
Hardee was among the many league leaders during the last three seasons with 998 particular groups snaps, excelling on punt and kickoff protection to the place he typically drew double-team blocks.
He practices at cornerback, too, although he solely logged one defensive snap throughout his Jets profession.
The NFL adopted an XFL-style kickoff rule final week that’s meant to extend the variety of returns whereas nonetheless emphasizing participant security by minimizing running-start full-speed collisions.
Kickoff truthful catches have been eradicated, and any ball that lands between the 20-yard line and the purpose line should be returned except it rolls into the top zone.
Hardee’s love for his hometown is not any secret.
After the Browns beat the Jets in Cleveland late final season, Hardee instructed his former Jets teammate and then-Browns quarterback Joe Flacco, “That is my metropolis, man. Convey my metropolis a ’ship [championship],” as seen on “Contained in the NFL.”
The Jets completed No. 3 final season within the extremely revered Rick Gosselin’s annual composite NFL particular groups rankings. As a lot as that was because of the excellence of kicker Greg Zuerlein and punter Thomas Moorstead, Hardee was the anchor on the league’s stingiest kickoff protection unit (15.4 yards allowed per return).
On the punt crew, Brandin Echols and Irv Charles — who stuffed when Hardee missed six video games final season attributable to a hamstring damage — determine to be subsequent in line as gunners.
The Browns are the fourth crew in eight seasons for Hardee, who initially made his title as an undrafted rookie with the Saints, after he was minimize by the Texans.
