Jets release Alex Lewis from reserve list

The Jets released offensive lineman Alex Lewis from the reserve/left squad list on Friday.

Lewis did not suit up for New York last season after abruptly retiring from football in August, 12 days after he sustained a head injury in practice. Lewis restructured his contract with the Jets before stepping away from football, cutting his salary from $5.8 million to $3.3 million in an effort to remain on the roster.

Robert Saleh said that Lewis was dealing with issues “much greater than football” at the time of his retirement.

The Jets acquired Lewis from the Ravens in August 2019 in exchange for a conditional seventh-round pick in the 2020 NFL draft. He started 2019 as a backup before stepping into the starting lineup in place of an injured Kelechi Osemele and remained a mainstay at guard for New York before landing on injured reserve just before the end of the season.

Lewis went on to sign a three-year contract extension worth $18.6 million with the Jets following the 2019 season. The 29-year-old appeared in nine games for New York in 2020 before landing on the reserve/non-football injury list. Lewis was not activated before the end of the season.

Lewis started 21 games in two seasons with the Jets. New York has addressed the guard position since Lewis landed on the reserve/non-football injury list in 2020 by trading up to draft Alijah Vera-Tucker last offseason and signing Laken Tomlinson to a three-year deal this offseason.