The New York Jets announced four player signings and three releases today. The announcements were made by Jets general manager Mike Tannenbaum. Here is a recap of the transactions:
SIGNED
LB Brandon Renkart (6'2", 236) recorded six sacks, 18 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 10 pressures for the past two seasons for Rutgers. In his junior season, his first as a linebacker, he ranked sixth on the Scarlet Knights with 54 tackles (25 solos), 3.5 sacks, 11.5 TFLs and two pressures in 13 starts. Renkart also excelled in the classroom, where he was a finalist for the prestigious Draddy Trophy, the academic version of the Heisman Trophy.
DB Ron Girault(5'10", 204) was a four-year starter at Rutgers. In 45 games (40 starts), he recorded 271 tackles (160 solos), 1.5 sacks, nine TFLs, 10 interceptions for 204 yards, seven passes defended, four forced fumbles, four fumbles recovered and two blocked kicks on special teams. Girault originally signed a free agent contract with the Kansas City Chiefs on May 3, then was waived Sunday.
WR Rudy Burgess (5'10", 186), originally was signed by the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent on April 29 and was waived Monday. A four-year performer who started 25 of 45 career games, he saw action at wide receiver, running back, defensive back, punt returner and kickoff returner. Burgess accumulated 4,379 career all-purpose yards and 19 TDs on 446 total attempts. He had 229 carries for 1,093 yards and six touchdowns, 125 receptions for 1,536 yards and 12 TDs, 68 kickoff returns for 1,517 yards and one TD, and 31 punt returns for 233 yards.
LB Jerry Mackey (6'1", 233) has served several stints with the Jets. Most recently, he was signed to a reserve/future contract Dec. 31 and was waived April 25. He originally joined the Jets as a rookie free agent on Aug. 4, 2007. Mackey played four years with Syracuse, recording 202 tackles (106 solos), three sacks, one interception and one fumble recovery. He earned All-Nassau County and All-Long Island honors as a senior at Freeport HS and is a great-nephew of NFL Hall of Famer John Mackey.
RELEASED
DB Andre Woolfolk (6'2", 197), who joined the Jets after being out of football in 2007, was released. Woolfolk was selected in the first round (28th overall) of the 2003 NFL Draft by Tennessee. In four seasons with the Titans, Woolfolk played in 39 games (11 starts) and totaled 94 tackles, three interceptions, 18 passes defensed, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery.
DB Darnell Bing(6'2", 230), who signed a reserve/future contract with the Jets on Jan. 15, was waived. Bing was selected by Oakland in the fourth round (101st overall) of the 2006 NFL Draft and spent the entire 2006 season on injured reserve. He was waived by the Raiders on July 25, claimed by San Francisco on July 26, and spent the entire 2007 season on the 49ers' practice squad. In 37 career games (35 starts) for Southern Cal, he recorded 182 tackles (120 solos), one sack and eight interceptions and was an All-America first-team selection by The Associated Press as a senior.
P Joe Smith (6'2", 195), signed by the Jets on June 10, was waived. A Division II All-American, he finished his senior season (2003) at Central Washington with a 44.2-yard average and was the national leader every week of the NCAA's statistical report. Smith spent the last three years with the Yakima Mavericks of the Evergreen Football Semipro League. He averaged 42.8 yards per punt and was named the league special teams MVP in 2007.
