The New York Jets decided not to use the fifth-year option on linebacker Darron Lee on Friday, making the 2016 first round draft pick a free agent at the end of the 2019 season. This was expected by many since the end of the season and the case to decline the fifth year option grew stronger when the Jets signed linebacker C.J. Mosley in free agency back in March.
There were a couple of other clues that were presented, that this was the way the team was going to go. Lee was not present for the Jets new uniforms reveal in April (Mosley and fellow linebacker Avery Williamson were both present.