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Antonio Cromartie did not want to leave Jets, open to returning

By Vinnie Criscenzo

Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) runs through drills in warmups before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi
Dec 28, 2014; Santa Clara, CA, USA; Arizona Cardinals cornerback Antonio Cromartie (31) runs through drills in warmups before the game against the San Francisco 49ers at Levi /
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Antonio Cromartie admits he did not want to leave the New York Jets.

Around this time last year, it seemed like Antonio Cromartie’s career may be heading in a downward trend. After a disappointing, injury-plagued 2013 season with the New York Jets, his future with the team was very cloudy. He ended up being cut by the Jets in March and became a free-agent.

It didn’t take long for Cromartie to find a new home, as he signed on with the Arizona Cardinals and their very deep defensive-back corps. Playing alongside Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu, Cromartie had a great bounce-back season and earned a spot at the 2015 Pro-Bowl.

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Now, a year later from being cut by the Jets, Cromartie finds himself as a free-agent once again. This time around though, he’s in a much better position than he was last year. Last season, he was coming of a poor season and being cut from the Jets. This season, he’s coming off a Pro-Bowl season with the Cardinals. That will certainly boost his value as he enters the free-agent market.

It would be fair to assume that maybe Cromartie would have some hard feelings towards the Jets organization, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. He has said it before, but Cromartie reiterated Wednesday that he never wanted to leave the Jets and would absolutely be open to a return to the New York Jets.

"My door is always open to returning, Cromartie said, via the New York Post. Everybody knows I didn’t want to leave. I’m going to keep my door open and see what happens."

The Jets could certainly use him. After loosing Darrelle Revis two years ago and Antonio Cromartie last season, the Jets secondary has been anything but feared this past season. The Jets still have a very good front seven, if they could add a piece like Cromartie to help bolster the secondary, it could really help bring balance back to that defensive unit.

It doesn’t hurt that former Arizona Cardinals defensive coordinator Todd Bowles was just recently hired as the New York Jets new head coach after Rex Ryan was relieved of his head coaching duties. Cromartie played under Bowles this past season and is very fond of the new Jets head coach, so Bowles could possibly help recruit Cromartie back to the Jets with him.

We will have to wait and see what happens come March 10.

H/T to NBC Sports Pro Football Talk for the quotes.

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