The New York Jets reportedly got a little bit of a surprise from defensive lineman Nathan Shepherd during free agency.
According to ESPN, Nathan Shepherd, who re-signed in New York this offseason, was offered a larger contract by another team at some point.
Instead, he turned it down for the Jets, who signed him to a one-year, $1.1 million deal.
The exact other team isn’t named, however, the club offered $150K more. Yet, the 29-year-old turned down that money.
The comfort level Shepherd, the longest-tenured draft pick (2018) on New York’s roster, likely played a part.
But with the departure of Folorunso Fatukasi, Shephard is probably hoping for an opportunity with more playing time with the Jets as well. That potential chance would be huge for his career.
Per the report, the team was “surprised and delighted” that Shepherd decided to return.
In 56 games with the Jets, Shepherd has made only nine starts. In total, Shepherd has 4.5 sacks and 71 tackles, including nine for loss, in his four-year career.
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