It turns out the last drop of Stephen Hill’s Jets career was made by the team.
The Jets dropped Hill on Saturday, waiving the wide receiver as they trimmed their roster down to 53 players.
The move was not shocking after coach Rex Ryan gave a tepid endorsement of Hill this week and then played him in the final preseason game in Philadelphia. The 2012 second-round pick had two injury-filled, inconsistent years for the Jets. He struggled with drops and never seemed to win the trust of his coaches.
Alan Herman, the agent for Hill, was disappointed the team gave up on him.
“I didn’t think he had enough opportunities this year in terms of the number of targets he had in game situations,” Herman said. “I feel that clearly a third year with a more stable quarterback would have been a preferred way for him to be evaluated. He wasn’t given that opportunity.
“I’m disappointed that he didn’t have one more year to prove himself.”
Herman said Hill’s rookie season was undermined partially by the Jets situation at quarterback with Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow. Then, last year rookie Geno Smith was the quarterback.
Hill was the biggest name of the Jets’ cuts. The other notable cuts were: CB Dimitri Patterson, QB Matt Simms, QB Tajh Boyd, RB Daryl Richardson, WR Clyde Gates and LB Garrett McIntyre.
The team traded up to select Hill with the 43rd overall pick in 2012 out of run-heavy Georgia Tech. Despite being raw, he was given a starting job immediately. Hill had five catches for 89 yards and two touchdowns in his first NFL game, but would only score two more in the next two years.
Hill had a bad drop in a loss to the Patriots in his rookie season, and he never seemed to recover from it. Knee injuries ended his 2012 and 2013 seasons.
The Jets hoped he would make a jump during this offseason. He had a strong spring and got off to a good start in training camp, but it did not translate to the preseason games. He had just one catch Thursday night in Philadelphia.
The Jets threw to him just eight times in the preseason games. He had three catches.
“I know he was inconsistent in catching the ball, but I think the body of work in this preseason was incomplete,” Herman said. “You need a rhythm. Receivers need a rhythm. You can’t just get thrown at twice a game. That’s not enough to build a rhythm and make strides.”
Hill finished his Jets career with 45 catches for 594 yards and four touchdowns. Making Hill’s lack of production look worse is the fact the Bears took Pro Bowl wide receiver Alshon Jeffery two picks after Hill.
The release of Simms and Boyd means the Jets are going with just two quarterbacks on their active roster with Geno Smith and Michael Vick. The team would like to sign Simms to the practice squad if he clears waivers.
General manager John Idzik kept 10 of his 12 draft picks from May. Boyd and cornerback Brandon Dixon, both sixth-round picks, were the only ones cut.
The biggest surprises who made the team are nose tackle T.J. Barnes, linebackers Trevor Reilly and Jeremiah George and wide receiver Quincy Enunwa.
The Jets kept seven wide receivers, holding onto Salas and Enunwa instead of Hill.
The team also moved linebacker Antwan Barnes onto the regular-season Physically Unable to Perform list, meaning he is out for at least the first six weeks.
Other players cut were: G Will Campbell, LB Troy Davis, LB A.J. Edds, DT Tevita Finau, RB Alex Green, DT Kerry Hyder, S Rontez Miles, TE Chris Pantale, CB Johnny Patrick, T Brent Qvale, CB Jeremy Reeves, G Caleb Schlauderaff and DE Zach Thompson.