The Jets need salary cap space. There’s no other way around it. With, literally, just over $500,000 left, and their starting quarterback unsigned, the team needs to find a way to free money in order to bring their bearded signal caller back to town.

Apparently, D’Brickashaw Ferguson is Ryan Fitzpatrick’s ticket back home.

A source has confirmed to Jets Wire that the team has “casually mentioned” to the left tackle that they may need some cap relief in the “indefinite future,” and would like to do so by having him take a pay cut.

Ferguson, 32, has been the hot name mentioned whenever the subject of cap restructures comes up, and, for good reason. As things stand right now, Ferguson is set to have the third-highest cap hit among active Jets with $14.1 million.

Taking into consideration the Jets have no money, with the fact Ferguson’s play has been on the decline the last couple of years, and it’s easy to see why the team may look to their long-time tackle to rework his contract. Simply put, the Jets can’t afford Ferguson at his present rate, and appear ready to move on from him if need be.

In the early portions of free agency, the team hosted Steelers left tackle Kelvin Beachum for a visit, although the big man elected to sign with the Jaguars instead. Speaking to the media via conference call in late March, Jets GM Mike Maccagnan didn’t sound optimistic when asked about Ferguson’s future with New York.

“I would say, right now,” Maccagnan said, “He would be on our roster going forward. But we will see how this thing goes.”

Ferguson has been New York’s starting left tackle since his selection with the fourth overall pick in the 2006 NFL Draft. He’s been voted to the Pro Bowl three times, and has never missed a game in his Jets career.

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Connor Hughes is the New York Jets beat writer for the USA TODAY Sports Digital Properties. He can be reached on Twitter (@Connor_J_Hughes), or via email (chughes@usatoday.com)