Two months after the Jets missed the playoffs for the first time since Rex Ryan came to town, Gang Green may part ways with one of the key components that helped it reach consecutive AFC Championship Games.



The Daily News first reported online Monday that the Jets have given linebacker Bart Scott permission to seek potential trading partners.



Scott, who has three years remaining on his six-year, $48 million contract, was Rex Ryan's premier free agent signing when he took over in 2009. Ryan brought Scott over from the Ravens to help the Jets learn the intricacies of a defensive system that thrived in Baltimore. Now, both parties are exploring a trade.



Scott restructured his deal before the 2011 season. The tradeoff for Scott's $1 million paycut in 2011 was that his 2012 base salary of $4.2 million would be fully guaranteed. (He also has an additional $250,000 bonus.) Scott's base salary is $6.9 million in 2013 and 2014. Scott's guaranteed base salary for this season means that it makes little financial sense to simply cut him.



Scott, 31, grew increasingly unhappy with his diminished playing time and role during the Jets' disappointing 8-8 season. He was routinely taken out on third downs due to the team's belief that he had difficulty in pass coverage.



According to Pro Football Focus, Scott's 677 defensive snaps in 2011 were fewer than in each of his first two seasons with the Jets.



Scott recently told The News that he'd like to remain with the Jets as long as he is used in a manner that maximizes his skills.



His frustration was palpable last season.



The Jets fined the veteran inside linebacker $10,000 for giving a photographer the middle finger in the Jets' locker room the day after Gang Green's disappointing season-ending loss to the Miami Dolphins.



The Jets freed up more than $7 million last week by restructuring D'Brickashaw Ferguson's contract. They could create much-needed additional space by trading Scott, who recently had a minor elbow scope. The surgery isn't expected to prevent him from participating in offseason activities that begin in April.



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