HEADLINE

Jets lure C Kalil out of retirement for $8.4M

Field Level Media

August 01, 2019 at 7:30 pm.

All-Pro center Ryan Kalil agreed to terms with the New York Jets, coming out of retirement to fill a hole on the offensive line in front of second-year quarterback Sam Darnold.

The deal will be for one year, $8.4 million, according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport.

“A big-time twist for the New York Jets, who, of course, have a big need at center and have had so for the last several months,” Rapoport said on NFL Network.

“General manager Joe Douglas said he is willing to find talent anywhere, and that, of course, includes players who were basically set to retire. These conversations, I’m told, went on the past six or seven weeks trying to make sure it was the right decision for Kalil, that he knew basically what was there for him.”

The deal is pending a physical.

Kalil, 34, first said in 2016 that the 2018 season would his last, and he had seemed to follow through by calling it quits after his 12th NFL season, all with the Carolina Panthers. The five-time Pro Bowler was an All-Pro selection in 2013 and 2015.

Kalil, the Panthers’ second-round pick in 2007 out of USC, has started 145 of 148 NFL games.

The Jets have had Jonotthan Harrison, a five-year pro who started eight games for New York last season, penciled in to start at center.

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