The Jets yesterday signed 24-year-old Ricky Ray, the quarterback who led the Edmonton Eskimos to the 2003 Grey Cup championship, as a potential backup for Chad Pennington.
Also yesterday, guard Dave Szott’s 14-year career ended when he announced his retirement. The overhaul of the Jets’ defense began with the waiving of cornerback Aaron Beasley, with the ax next targeting Mo Lewis and Marvin Jones.
Ray, who played at Sacramento State, had been sought by a number of NFL teams after completing 348 of 515 passes for 4,640 yards with 35 touchdowns in 2003. He was active for one game with the 49ers in 2001.
He most likely will compete with second-year man Brooks Bollinger for the No. 2 job. Vinny Testaverde, 40, the backup the last two seasons, said Thursday he is considering retirement.
Beasley started all 31 games in the two seasons he spent with the Jets after being signed as a free agent two years ago from Jacksonville, with whom he spent his first two seasons. He would have been due more than $2.7 million in salary and bonuses next season.
Szott spent 14 seasons in the NFL, the last two with the Jets. Most of his career was spent in Kansas City and he was voted to the All-Pro team in 1997.
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Terrell Owens believes the NFL and the 49ers are responsible for his contract predicament – not his agent.
Owens, a four-time Pro Bowl receiver, is still under contract to the 49ers after his agent missed the NFL deadline for notifying the team of his intention to void the final three years of his deal. Owens and agent David Joseph claim they weren’t told that the deadline had been moved up 10 days to Feb. 21.AP