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When Jets coach Todd Bowles finally showed up for his Tuesday press conference, he acknowledged that the Jets are indeed releasing long-time linebacker David Harris.

Bowles called it “an organizational decision,” and he acknowledged that the team tried to negotiate a pay cut before making the decision to move on.

So why is the move happening now?

“That’s a good question,” Bowles said. “Talks broke down. It happened abruptly, obviously.”

There’s still time for someone else to get involved abruptly, if a team is willing to assume the contract at $6.5 million and to give the Jets something of value in order to secure dibs on Harris. Until the move is final, a trade can happen.

If Harris indeed refused a pay cut, it’s possible that his agent discreetly gauged the market to see whether another team would be willing to pay Harris more than whatever the Jets had offered Harris. Technically tampering for other teams to provide that information, it’s a common tactic aimed at giving the player the best information possible regarding what lurks behind Door No. 2 before telling his current employer to take Door No. 1 and shove it.