The Denver Broncos granted their lame-duck quarterback permission to meet with other teams before they officially release him next week, according to ESPN.

The Broncos plan to cut Wilson once the new league year begins on March 13, the team announced Monday, and will reportedly eat $85 million in dead money on his mega-contract.

“Tough times don’t last, but tough people do,” Wilson said in a statement Monday. “God’s got me. I am excited for what’s next.”

The 35-year-old Wilson, a Super Bowl champion and nine-time Pro Bowler with Seattle, threw for 26 touchdowns against eight interceptions last year but went just 11-19 over two disappointing seasons with Denver.

Wilson is due $39 million next season, though any team that signs him could do so for a minimum $915,000 contract, leaving Denver to pay the rest.

The Broncos traded a haul including two first-round picks, two second-round picks and quarterback Drew Lock to the Seahawks to acquire Wilson in 2022, then signed him to a five-year, $245 million extension.

But Denver failed to make the playoffs in either of Wilson’s seasons there, even after hiring Super Bowl-winning coach Sean Payton before the 2023 campaign. The Broncos were 7-8 and still alive for a wild-card spot when they benched Wilson for backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham in December.

“We’re desperately trying to win,” Payton told reporters at the time. “Sure, in our game today, there are economics and all those other things, but the number one push behind this, and it’s a decision I’m making, is to get a spark offensively.”

Wilson then claimed the Broncos threatened weeks earlier to bench him if he declined to adjust a $37 million guarantee in his contract that would trigger if he failed a physical in the offseason. Wilson said he did not agree to do so.

It’s unclear how much of a market Wilson faces following back-to-back uneven seasons, especially with multiple quarterback-needy teams picking high in next month’s NFL Draft, which is considered deep at the position. Kirk Cousins is expected to be the most in-demand quarterback in free agency.

“We need a backup quarterback,” Johnson said after his team went 7-10 following Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury in Week 1. “We didn’t have one last year.”

Johnson is not wrong in his assessment. A year ago, the Jets were on the verge of acquiring Rodgers in a trade with the Packers. However, Jets general manager Joe Douglas and coach Robert Saleh continued to back Zach Wilson despite the fact that he was being demoted from starter to second-string.

Following a disappointing 2,271-yard, eight touchdown and seven interception season in which he was forced back into the starting role after Rodgers’ injury, the Jets are ready to move on from Wilson. Douglas told reporters at the end of last month the team gave Wilson permission to seek a trade.

Now, the Jets will look to improve their backup quarterback situation in a make-or-break season. Douglas and Saleh both received a mulligan following a disappointing season in large part because of Rodgers’ injury four plays into his debut last September. That likely will not be the case again in 2024 if the Jets do not make the playoffs for the first time since 2010.

The backup quarterback market is robust, with many teams in need this offseason. The Jets have an estimated $27 million of salary cap space. They can create more money by restructuring some of their current players’ deals.

“That’s part of the discussions that we had,” Douglas said at the NFL Scouting Combine last week about acquiring a backup QB. “It’s an area that we’re going to be addressing moving forward.

“We’re still really early in the offseason, especially when it comes to the veteran backup landscape and market. We’ve had good meetings and evaluation with the guys that are available I think we’re ready to take the next step and see where the market is exactly with these backup quarterbacks.”

With Rodgers, 40, returning from a significant injury, the Jets know they need a break-in-case-of-emergency veteran backup who can fill in.

Let’s take a look at a few backup quarterback options:

RYAN TANNEHILL

Tannehill is the likely favorite to become Gang Green’s backup quarterback in 2024. His former offensive coordinator with the Titans, Todd Downing, is the Jets passing game coordinator. Jets offensive line coach Keith Carter also knows Tannehill during their days in Tennessee (2019-22).

Tannehill has 151 career starts for the Dolphins and Titans. He was a Pro Bowl quarterback in 2019 and helped lead the Titans to the playoffs from 2019-21.

But Tannehill lost his starting job after rookie Will Levis replaced him following a high ankle sprain. He eventually became the starter again after Levis injured his foot late in the season.

Tannehill, 35, could have starting options elsewhere. But if those plans don’t come to fruition, he could land with the Jets.

JACOBY BRISSETT

The Jets saw firsthand what impact Brissett can make when relieving a starting quarterback. After coming in for Sam Howell during their Christmas Eve game against the Jets, Brissett rallied the Commanders from a 21-point deficit. Washington lost, 30-28, after Greg Zuerlein’s game-winning 54-yard field goal with 10 seconds left.

Brissett, 31, has been a career journeyman since he was drafted in the third round by the Patriots in 2016. He is 18-30 as a starter but has been a steady backup for New England, Indianapolis, Miami, Cleveland, and Washington.

Like Tannehill, Brissett might look for a starting opportunity because he could be a bridge while a team looks to develop a younger quarterback option. The Jets would need to pony up the money for Brissett after he made $8 million during his one season with the Commanders.

GARDNER MINSHEW

After filling in for the injured Anthony Richardson, Minshew came close to getting the Colts to the playoffs in 2023. He was 7-6 as a starter after passing for 3,305 yards, 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions.

The Jets are fans of Minshew and he could be on top of their backup wishlist. Minshew only made $3.5 million last year, but expect him to double that in free agency.

Like Tannehill and Brissett, Minshew will likely look for a potential starting role.

JIMMY GAROPPOLO

Garoppolo isn’t a free agent, but he is expected to be released around the start of the new league year, which begins March 14. He is facing a two-game suspension for violating the NFL’s performance-enhancing substance policy.

If Garoppolo is on the Raiders’ roster on the fifth day of the new league year (March 18), he would be owed a $11.25 million roster bonus.

Garoppolo signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract with the Raiders, including a guaranteed $33.75 million. But he was benched for rookie Aidan O’Connell hours after the Raiders fired coach Josh McDaniels.

Garoppolo, 32, is 43-20 as a starting quarterback. But lack of durability and diminishing skills are a concern. Garoppolo has a history with Saleh after the two spent time with the 49ers.

TYLER HUNTLEY

Huntley certainly doesn’t have the same experience other quarterbacks on this list do. But he has performed well in the games he has started the last two years.

Huntley, 26, is 3-6 as a starter, which includes a 2-2 record after filling in for Lamar Jackson for the Ravens in 2022. He also helped Baltimore reach the playoffs that year before losing to the Bengals in the AFC wild card round.

Huntley is a dual-threat quarterback, which is a plus considering the questions on the Jets’ offensive line. He has run for 509 yards and three touchdowns in four seasons.

Since entering the league in 2020, Huntley has passed for 1,957 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Huntley is an intriguing option, especially given Rodgers’ age.

It is what he should do. Barkley said once, and famously, that he wanted to be a “Giant for Life.” He can’t possibly still think that’s the best thing for his football life. Great Giants rarely leave on their own, not in their prime. He should.

There is still a big chance he ends up back with the Giants. Maybe he and Jones can still team up and play the Giants back into the playoffs, something they did the season before last. It’s just not the way to bet. For now, in the moment, Barkley is the story because the Giants declined putting a franchise tag on him. There’s still the window for him to work out a deal and stay, for him and for them. He should want to go, and be a star running back with a star quarterback, or he’s never going to win a Super Bowl.

Jim Brown, the best running back of them all, won one NFL title, with the ’64 Browns. Walter Payton won one, with the best damn defense anybody had ever seen. Barry Sanders never won. Eric Dickerson never won.

Emmitt Smith was great on the greatest Cowboys team of them all. But he had Troy Aikman. And Michael Irvin. Terrell Davis, also in the Hall of Fame, had himself a night once in Super Bowl XXXII, when the Broncos beat the Packers. He still had John Elway on his side. A lot of bad things have happened to Barkley in Jersey. The fact remains that the Giants are 30 games under .500 since he got with them. Running backs never make all the difference, they just can’t. And don’t. It’s why you don’t take them with the second pick even if they do turn out to be great.

There is nothing fair about what has happened to Barkley here since Gettleman decided to take a running back with the second overall pick, the way the Jets once took another Penn State back, Blair Thomas, back in 1990 (Blair was the Zach Wilson of running backs, then).

But then you better believe Barkley became Offensive Rookie of the Year, with over 2,000 total yards. Even after he hurt his knee, he came back to be the best player on the Giants team that not only made it back to the postseason, but won a playoff game on the road. Without question, he was the best player on that ’22 team. Then Jones became the Gettleman All-Star who got paid. Barkley did not. He certainly must dream about being the kind of centerpiece of a real team the way Christian McCaffrey, son of an old Giant, is with the 49ers. Right now, the Giants aren’t close to being that team. It’s why he might be gone now and Jones might be gone after the season if he doesn’t stay on the field and produce. At which point Giant fans will be talking about Gettleman, not Barkley, not Jones, being the worst pick the Giants have made lately.

Of course, it wasn’t supposed to end up like this, not after the Giants did win that playoff game against the Vikings, the week before they got treated like the junior varsity by an Eagles team on its way to the Super Bowl. Barkley had once again gained over 1,300 rushing yards. He had caught 57 passes. Jones? Even after a season when he’d thrown only 15 touchdown passes in 16 starts, played the game of his life against the Vikings. It turned out to be the first $80 million performance — so far — in all of Giants’ history.

Again and again: Saquon Barkley, at his best, has been a great Giant. He has carried himself like one. He has had the same three head coaches that Jones has had: Pat Shurmur, Joe Judge (another sparkling pick by Gettleman), now Brian Daboll. He sure does have to look across the country, and at the way McCaffrey is used by Kyle Shanahan, and imagine the possibilities of being featured like that, in football circumstances like those. They’re just not the circumstances in which he currently finds himself at MetLife Stadium.

March 6, 2024: Not it!

He only just turned 27. He has football miles on him, for sure, because all star running backs do, 1,200 carries so far in his career, nearly 300 receptions. He has come all the way back from ACL reconstruction surgery on his right knee back in 2020. Even last season, in a mess of a season for the Giants, he nearly got back to 1,000 rushing yards despite missing three games.

“[Barkley] is a guy we’d like to have back,” Giants general manager Joe Schoen said before the team made the determination not to franchise Barkley was officially made.

There is absolutely a chance, and a good one, that Barkley could still come back. He may be about to find out that what the Giants paid him last season — about $11 million, all-in — might not be far off from the best deal he can make for himself. He has a business decision to make. So, too, do the Giants in a quarterback world, even though they’ve got quarterback problems, too.

Barkley really has been a great Giant. Great Giants don’t leave. He should. It might not be the best thing for them. But if he can find a quarterback, it is the best thing for him.

GM Joe Schoen also did not tag free safety Xavier McKinney, who wants to stay in New York but told the Daily News that he didn’t want to be tagged. Now he has more time to negotiate an extension and the opportunity to hit the open market if he does not.

Barkley, 27, will be free to gauge his value on the open market for the first time in his career after six seasons with the franchise. The free agent negotiating window opens next Monday prior to the start of the new league year two days later, when deals can become official.

And while it’s still possible Barkley could return to the Giants after testing the waters, it’s more likely that he will be playing somewhere else in 2024.

Sources view the Baltimore Ravens, Las Vegas Raiders, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots, Houston Texans and Philadelphia Eagles as some primary potential suitors who have the resources, need and interest to possibly sign Barkley.

There is always the chance that Barkley won’t find the value he is seeking on the open market due to an impressive and deep free agent running back class headed by the Titans’ Derrick Henry, the Chargers’ Austin Ekeler, Barkley and the Raiders’ Josh Jacobs.

But numerous evaluators in Indianapolis at last week’s NFL Combine voiced the opinion that they consider Barkley to be a dynamic back. Some would love to see a team use him in the Christian McCaffrey mold, believing Barkley could serve in the same role.

So imagine Barkley lined up behind two-time MVP Lamar Jackson in Charm City, or paired with likely No. 1 overall QB pick Caleb Williams and top Bears receiver D.J. Moore in the Windy City.

Neither is far-fetched now.

Barkley loves New York and the Giants, but he wants to win and be compensated and deployed as a top offensive weapon. He understandably wants to be used more as a receiver in particular, a talent he believes was untapped recently in New York.

Schoen, meanwhile, is reticent to commit major money to a running back and is entering a pivotal third year in this regime’s build. They need to show progress.

The GM also is staring at a deep free agent RB market and an NFL Draft with some good value in the middle rounds.

Schoen mentioned Ekeler and two of his former Buffalo Bills draft picks as attractive available RBs: the Texans’ Devin Singletary and the Colts’ Zack Moss.

Oregon’s Bucky Irving and USC’s MarShawn Lloyd, meanwhile, could be good fits as middle-round picks in April. The Giants like Lloyd, and Irving is a tantalizing player.

Optically, Schoen also benefits from letting Barkley hit the market this spring even if he does end up staying in New York.

Last year’s negotiations got ugly. Barkley vented publicly that he wasn’t pleased with leaks and inaccurate reports about contract offers that he said didn’t come from him.

He switched agents from Roc Nation to CAA after receiving some bad advice to not accept one of Schoen’s earlier contract offers.

And edge rusher Kayvon Thibodeaux said early this offseason he thought Barkley should have been paid before quarterback Daniel Jones, after the QB landed a four-year, $160 million extension last spring but Barkley played on a one-year tag.

Schoen’s reluctance to use the tag on any player this year is probably a reaction in part to all the off-field anguish it caused the Giants and their locker room last summer. It wasn’t good for business.

“I’m not the one for tags,” McKinney said last week on the Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard podcast on the Bleav Network. “I don’t really get into it because, mentally, I believe in my worth and have been able to be a highly productive player, to put up really good numbers, to show that I am a top safety in this league. And I’ve been able to show that I am worth every penny of whatever I’ll get paid.

“But I’m not really into the whole tags, franchise tags, transition,” he added. “I don’t really know much about the transition tag anyways. But I don’t even wanna speak on it much, because I’m not even gonna put my energy [into] or entertain those things.”

McKinney, a two-time captain, finished 2023 as Pro Football Focus’ No. 1 safety in both coverage and tackling (No. 3 in tackling behind two part-timers who didn’t truly qualify) and as PFF’s No. 4 safety overall.

He wants to be paid as a top-5 safety, which would put him at or near the $16-19 million per year range. The Green Bay Packers are one of the teams that sources believe would pursue him if the Giants’ former 2020 second-round pick hits the market.

Barkley played last season on a revised franchise tag, rushing for 962 yards on 3.9 yards per carry and scoring 10 total touchdowns in 14 games. A second consecutive franchise tag would have put Barkley on a $12.1 million salary for 2024, a 20% raise from last year’s $10.1 million.

If this is the end of his Giants tenure, Barkley will leave the team that drafted him second overall in 2018 having recorded 5,211 rushing yards, 4.3 yards per carry, 2,100 receiving yards and 47 total touchdowns over six seasons.

Barkley burst onto the scene as a do-it-all weapon out of Penn State six years ago, leading the NFL with 2,028 scrimmage yards while scoring 15 touchdowns en route to Offensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors in 2018.

Injuries repeatedly plagued the Bronx-born Barkley, however, including in 2020 when he suffered a season-ending ACL tear in the second game of the season in Chicago.

Barkley missed at least three games in four of his six seasons, including last year when a sprained ankle kept him out of Weeks 3 through 5.

He was the offensive catalyst of the Giants’ 2022 playoff berth as a Wild Card team, the franchise’s lone trip to the postseason since 2016. That included two touchdowns in a road playoff win over the Minnesota Vikings before the Giants were blown out by the Eagles in the divisional round.

That may end up being the furthest Barkley ever goes with the Giants. And Schoen would have to replace his top weapon quickly to field a competent offense in 2024.

— With Peter Sblendorio

According to a source, the Jets will release tight end C.J. Uzomah after two seasons with the team. The move will save the Jets $5.3 million.

The Jets will now have over $25 million of salary cap space. Last week, they released left guard Laken Tomlinson after two seasons, which saved them $8.1 million.

In 2022, the Jets signed Uzomah and Tyler Conklin to lucrative contracts. Uzomah signed a three-year, $24 million contract hoping he could help bolster the Jets’ offense. Conklin signed a three-year, $21 million deal after spending his first four seasons with the Vikings.

The Jets thought they were getting the same Uzomah who caught 49 receptions for 493 yards and five touchdowns with the Bengals in 2021. However, his production slipped last two seasons.

Uzomah registered 21 receptions for 232 yards and two touchdowns in 2022. Last offseason, the Jets converted $4.5 million of Uzomah’s salary for 2023 into a signing bonus, which cleared $3.6 million in cap space.

Uzomah’s numbers continued to decrease in 2023 after ending the year with just eight catches for 58 yards and a touchdown after second-year player Jeremy Ruckert surpassed him on the Jets depth chart. During the Dec. 3 game against the Falcons, Uzomah tore his MCL and meniscus, which ended his season.

Meanwhile, Conklin has emerged as the Jets top tight end after averaging 60 receptions for 587 yards the last two seasons.

The Jets could be in the market for another tight end this offseason and some have speculated that they could draft Georgia tight end Brock Bowers with the 10th overall selection in April’s NFL Draft.

After fielding one of the worst offenses in the NFL the last two seasons, a lot of pressure is on Jets head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas this offseason. Last April, the Jets acquired quarterback Aaron Rodgers in a trade with the Packers. However, Rodgers played only four snaps in 2023 after tearing his Achilles during the Sept. 11 season opener against the Bills.

Without Rodgers, the Jets ranked 31st in yards (268.6) and 29th in points per game (15.8). Despite being third in total defense (292.3), the Jets finished 7-10 for the second consecutive year.

This led to Jets owner Woody Johnson voicing his frustrations at the NFL Honors awards show last month.

Beginning Monday, March 11, at 12 ET, NFL teams are allowed to contact the agents of unrestricted free agents and enter contract negotiations. The start of the new league will begin two days later on March 13 at 4 p.m. ET. That will be when unrestricted players can officially sign their new contracts.

The Jets are expected to be very active in what is a make-or-break year for both Saleh and Douglas.

“I mirror the frustration that Woody has,” Douglas told reporters last week at the NFL Scouting Combine. “Woody and I talk every day, just about every day and so we’re certainly on the same page. Again, I like the position we’re in.

“There’s a lot of talent coming back to this team, we have to add more to it. We know exactly what we have to do moving forward. The pressure is always intrinsic in his job whenever you walk in every day, but I can tell you that we’re not stressed.

“We’re prepared to answer the bell here with the decisions that have to be made moving forward. A lot of that has to do with the meetings that we had after the last time I talked to you guys and I feel really good about all of us, the personnel staff, coaching staff, analytics and everybody being on the same page.”

The announcement comes two years after their trade with the Seattle Seahawks where they surrendered two first-round, two second-round and a fifth-round pick in addition to Drew Lock, Shelby Harrison and Noah Fant. The Broncos also handed Wilson a five-year, $242.6 million contract extension with hopes that he would be their franchise quarterback for the foreseeable future.

However, things clearly did not go to plan. The Broncos went 11-19 in games started by Wilson during his tenure. The veteran threw for 6594 yards, 42 touchdowns and 19 interceptions in those 30 games.

“We spoke with Russell Wilson [Monday] to inform him of his release after the start of the league year,” coach Sean Payton and general manager George Paton said in a joint statement released on X. “On behalf of the Broncos, we thank Russell for his contributions and dedication to our team and community while wishing him the best as he continues his career. As we move forward, we are focused on building the strongest team possible for the 2024 season and beyond. We are excited to improve this offseason and will have the flexibility to get better through the draft and free agency.”

Wilson also took to social media to thank the Broncos organization.

“Over these last three years, you have welcomed my family and me with open arms and have embraced us as members the Denver community. This city will always hold a special place in my heart. Our family grew here, we made countless memories and friendships, and formed relationships that will last a lifetime,” Wilson wrote in his statement.

“To my teammates, thank you for going to battle together and for being there through it all. There are so many moments I cherish because of you and I am blessed for the impact you have had on my life. I am beyond grateful for all of you and to have been able to run out as your teammate was an honor.

“Tough times don’t last, but tough people do. God’s got me. I am excited for what’s next.”

The Broncos will take a $85 million dead cap hit for releasing Wilson early from his contract.

One of the best players and leaders on an NFC East rival that has won 13 of its last 16 meetings with the Giants has hung up his cleats.

Dexter Lawrence and New York’s defensive linemen have reason to smile.

The top question facing the Giants heading into Tuesday, though, is about their two most important internal free agents: running back Saquon Barkley and free safety Xavier McKinney.

Tuesday at 4 p.m. is the NFL’s deadline for teams to place either the franchise or transition tag on a player. Each team is allowed to use only one tag.

Giants GM Joe Schoen has said he’d rather not use the tag annually, but he also has it at his disposal to maintain leverage or retain a player he can’t (or won’t) otherwise re-sign.

Schoen also said last week that it’s still a possibility he could use the franchise tag on Barkley for the second straight year.

“I wouldn’t say the franchise tag’s off the table,” he said at the NFL Combine.

That’s partially because Barkley’s $12.1 million salary for 2024 if he gets franchise tagged is close to the market-value $11.9 million amount for RBs on their first tag this spring.

Schoen said the Giants were going to “recalibrate” their offseason plans after the NFL announced its salary cap was increasing to $255.4 million, as well. So it’s possible he would stretch a bit more than preferred.

It still doesn’t feel like Barkley will get tagged on Tuesday, though.

He wants to test his value on the open market after last year’s frustrating negotiation and tag. Kayvon Thibodeaux said recently that Barkley deserved to get paid by the Giants before Daniel Jones.

And it still seems more likely that Barkley will sign elsewhere rather than re-upping in New York.

He wants to be used more as a receiver and to win. Schoen only wants to pay a running back so much. And the Giants have been studying this running back draft closely.

Schoen consistently has noted the depth of the RB free agent market, too, including two of his former Bills picks, the Texans’ Devin Singletary and the Colts’ Zack Moss.

McKinney, meanwhile, told the Daily News last week that he does not want to be tagged.

He wants to stay in New York, but on a long-term deal that pays him like a top-five safety.

“I’m not the one for tags,” McKinney said on the Talkin’ Ball with Pat Leonard podcast. “I don’t really get into it because, mentally, I believe in my worth and have been able to be a highly productive player, to put up really good numbers, to show that I am a top safety in this league. And I’ve been able to show that I am worth every penny of whatever I’ll get paid.”

“But I’m not really into the whole tags, franchise tags, transition,” he added. “I don’t really know much about the transition tag anyways. But I don’t even wanna speak on it much, because I’m not even gonna put my energy [into] or entertain those things.”

Neither tag feels like it would bring a satisfactory resolution, either.

The franchise tag at $17.1 million would throw too large a number on the Giants’ 2024 salary cap, when a multi-year deal would allow them to spread some of the cost into the future.

The transition tag at $13.8 million would allow McKinney to negotiate with other teams and give the Giants a chance to match. But that would likely suppress his market, and that financial amount would put him way below the top 5 range at safety, which spans from $16-19 million.

Frankly, it feels like the Giants should be able to get something done long-term with McKinney in a reasonable but lucrative middle ground. And maybe they’ll keep negotiating with Barkley and take their chances on what he finds available on the open market.

Schoen has the tag at his disposal if he wishes, though. So now it’s time to find out if he’ll use it, one week out from the start of the NFL’s free agent tampering period on March 11.

The likely Hall-of-Famer sat down wearing a sleeveless Eagles t-shirt to explain his decision while thanking those who had helped him along the way, including parents Ed and Donna, younger brother Travis and wife Kylie.

“I’ve been asked many times why did I choose football — what drew me to the game — and I never have an answer that gets it right,” he said during his 45-minute speech at the team’s NovaCare Complex in Philadelphia.

“The best way to explain it is, what draws you to your favorite song, favorite book. It’s what it makes you feel, the seriousness of it, the intensity of it

“Stepping on the field was the most alive and free I had ever felt. There was a visceral feeling with football, unlike any sport. The hairs on my arms would stand up. I could hit somebody, run around like a crazed lunatic and then get told, ‘Good job.’ I love football.”

Kelce, 36, was drafted in the sixth round in 2011 out of the University of Cincinnati — where he played with Travis.

“We envisioned making winning plays day after day,” he said, describing the brothers’ earliest exploits. “We won countless Super Bowls in our minds before ever leaving the house. And when we weren’t playing we were at the other one’s games.”

Anchoring the Eagles’ offensive line for four different head coaches, Kelce made the Pro Bowl seven times and was a first-team All-Pro six times, winning Super Bowl LII in a classic against the New England Patriots in 2018 and losing Super Bowl LVII in another classic against Travis and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2023.

“It has always been a goal of mine to play my whole career in one city,” Kelce said. “I couldn’t have dreamt a better one if I tried.”

ESPN first reported that Kelce planned to retire following the team’s January loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in this year’s playoffs. After the Eagles were knocked out of contention, Kelce made more headlines for fully enjoying his younger brother’s third run to a championship.

“I have been the underdog my entire career,” Kelce said. “And I mean this when I say it, I still wish I was. Few things gave me more joy than proving someone wrong. I relished doubters. They fueled a fire within.”

During his speech, Kelce did not specify what his next steps would be.

“I don’t know what’s next,” the “New Heights” podcast host said.

“Thank you, Philadelphia, from the bottom of my heart. It has truly been a privilege.”

“That’s all I got,” he said before getting up and hugging his family.

According to his agent Derky Gilmore, the Buccaneers and wide receiver Mike Evans have agreed on a two-year, $52 million contract. The deal includes a $35 million signing bonus.

The Jets were one of the many teams who targeted Evans, 30, this offseason. However, many considered landing the five-time Pro Bowler a long shot because he wanted to remain with the Buccaneers, who selected him seventh overall in the 2014 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M.

Last week at the NFL Scouting Combine, Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht dismissed rumors that the team and Evans were far apart in contract talks.

“We’re working very hard on that,” Licht said. “On both sides, both ends are, and trust me, we all want Mike.”

It’s easy to see why the Buccaneers would want to keep Evans. He is the only receiver in NFL history to register 1,000 yards in each of his first 10 seasons. He is also the second receiver after Jerry Rice (14) to record 10 consecutive 1,000-yard seasons.

Last year, for the NFC South-winning Buccaneers, Evans caught 79 receptions for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns. In Tampa Bay’s two playoff games against the Eagles and Lions, Evans recorded 19 catches for 195 yards and a touchdown.

With Evans off the board, the Jets will now focus on other free-agent receivers. Gang Green is looking for another receiver to pair with top target Garrett Wilson.

The Jets have been reportedly trying to convince the Raiders to trade veteran receiver Davante Adams. But Las Vegas general manager Tom Telesco told reporters that the team is not interested in trading the six-time Pro Bowl receiver.

A year ago, the Jets signed Allen Lazard to a four-year, $44 million contract, hoping he would help improve their offense. However, he suffered through a disappointing 2023 season.

Lazard finished last season with 23 catches for 311 yards and one touchdown in 14 games. He was also a healthy scratch for three games.

Lazard’s 2024 salary ($10 million) is fully guaranteed. Because of that, the Jets and Lazard must find a way to make it work, at least through the 2024 season.

The Jets will hope the return of Aaron Rodgers from an Achilles tear, who was also his teammate in Green Bay for five seasons, can help Lazard regain his previous form. But the Jets cannot depend on Lazard emerging as their No. 2 receiver again this offseason.

That’s why the Jets receiver wish list could include Jaguars receiver Calvin Ridley, Cardinals receiver Marquise Brown, and Bills receiver Gabe Davis.

Following a 2022 suspension for betting on NFL games, Ridley was traded from the Falcons to the Jaguars. He finished the 2023 season with 76 catches for 1,016 yards and eight touchdowns.

With his exceptional speed, adding Brown would be a significant addition to the Jets receiver room. But his numbers with the Cardinals declined the last two seasons after finishing with 91 catches, 1,008 yards, and a six-touchdown campaign in 2021. He registered 51 receptions for 574 yards and four touchdowns last season.

Davis has recently hinted that his days with the Bills are over. Two weeks ago, he posted a video on social media that seemed like a farewell message to Buffalo fans. He averaged 40 catches for 683 yards and seven touchdowns each of the last four years.

The Jets could also look towards the draft to fill their receiving needs. They’re expected to select an offensive lineman in Round 1. But that will also depend on what the team does in free agency.

If Washington’s Rome Odunze or LSU’s Malik Nabers are still available when the Jets select No. 10 in April’s draft, the team would undoubtedly have to consider it. Gang Green could also consider adding Brock Bowers, a game-changing tight end at Georgia.

The Jets’ tight end room is loaded with Tyler Conklin, C.J. Uzomah, and Jeremy Ruckert, but they were one of 15 teams who met with Bowers at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis last week. During his three seasons at Georgia, Bowers caught 175 passes for 2,538 yards and 26 touchdowns en route to helping the Bulldogs win two national championships.

Bowers has a unique combination of acceleration, speed, and excellent hands. He is also an incredible route runner with the talent to beat linebackers and safeties in man and zone coverage.

Many draft experts, including ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr., have predicted Bowers landing with the Jets. During the combine, Bowers told reporters that catching passes from Rodgers would be a dream.

It would be pretty sweet,” Bowers said at the NFL Combine last week. “He’s one of the best of all-time to do it at quarterback and it would be cool to learn under him and play under him and hopefully learn some stuff.”

It’s a two-year, $52 million contract, according to NFL Media, making the ultra-consistent Evans the NFL’s fourth-highest-paid receiver in terms of average annual salary.

Evans, 30, tied for the NFL lead with 13 touchdown receptions in 2023. His 79 catches and 1,255 receiving yards both represented his highest marks since 2018.

Originally selected seventh overall by Tampa in 2014, the 6-5 Evans is the only player in NFL history to eclipse 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first 10 NFL seasons. He was a favorite target of Tom Brady during the quarterback’s three-season stint with the Bucs from 2020-22 and was similarly relied upon by Baker Mayfield last year.

Evans was set to become one of the top wide receivers in a free-agent class that could include the Indianapolis Colts’ Michael Pittman, the San Francisco 49ers’ Brandon Aiyuk and the Jacksonville Jaguars’ Calvin Ridley.

The Cincinnati Bengals used the $21.8 million franchise tag on star receiver Tee Higgins, and Pittman is a candidate to be tagged by the Colts as well.

The Giants, who haven’t had a No. 1 wide receiver since trading away Odell Beckham Jr. in 2019, and the Jets, who boast little at the position beyond Garrett Wilson, are expected to explore upgrading their receiver rooms this offseason. Both teams boast top 10 picks in next month’s draft, which is considered a deep one for wide receivers.

Evans, a five-time Pro Bowler, failed to reach an extension with Tampa last offseason and played out of the final year of his previous five-year, $82.5 million deal in 2023.

Only Miami’s Tyreek Hill ($30 million), Las Vegas’ Davante Adams ($28 million) and the Los Angeles Rams’ Cooper Kupp ($26.7 million) have higher average annual salaries than Evans’ new $26 million yearly income.

Retaining Evans keeps one of the NFL’s best wide receiver duos intact. Chris Godwin, who signed a three-year, $60 million extension with Tampa in 2022, is fresh off his third consecutive 1,000-yard season.

Tampa can now turn its attention to re-signing Mayfield, an impending free agent who set career highs with 4,044 passing yards and 28 touchdowns in 2023 and led the Bucs to a playoff win against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Bucs, who won the Super Bowl with Brady after the 2020 season, have made the playoffs four years in a row and won the NFC South in each of the last three.

NFL free agency begins March 13.