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Stephen Hill never quite caught on with the Jets.

(Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

The Jets on Saturday announced that they have released wide receiver Stephen Hill, a former second-round draft pick, ending his disappointing two-year tenure with the team.

The Jets drafted Hill in the second round in 2012, trading up four spots to get him. Alshon Jeffery was available when the Jets picked Hill.

Passing on Jeffery in favor of Hill turned out to be an awful decision by the Jets. Jeffery made the Pro Bowl last season. Hill, in two seasons, made 45 catches. Hill played in just 23 games over those two seasons, because of nagging knee injuries.

The Jets wanted to see how Hill looked this spring and summer, now that he is healthy. He didn't exactly impress. He finished the preseason with three catches, on eight times targeted, for 42 yards. He appeared in Thursday's preseason finale at the Eagles -- not a good sign for the security of his roster spot. He made one catch for 13 yards in that game, on two targets.

Hill was asked after the game if he thought he had earned a roster spot.

"Yeah, I don’t know why I shouldn’t (think that), but yeah," he said.

Entering the Eagles game, Hill seemed to be competing with Saalim Hakim and Greg Salas for the Jets' final one or two receiver spots, depending on whether they decided to keep five or six receivers. Hakim and Salas seemed to have an advantage over Hill, because while they don't possess his rare combination of size and speed, they play on special teams -- something Hill does not do.

Hill maintained he was not nervous about the impending final cut deadline -- 4 p.m. Saturday, when NFL rosters were to be pared from 75 players to the final 53.

"I just worry about myself, what I put out there on the field," Hill said. "That’s all. I can control those things. Things happen. I don’t know what’s going on. I’m just like other guys, just out here playing. That’s all I can tell you."

Hill had two years left on his rookie contract. He was due to count $1,285,185 against the Jets' salary cap this season, and $1,499,381 next season. He will still count toward their cap in 2013 and 2014, but in "dead" money figures of $566,791 this year and $466,791 next year, based on the prorated amount of guaranteed money that remained on his contract.

Considering the Jets are currently about $22 million under this year's cap, they had plenty of space to spare while ultimately choosing to use Hill's roster spot elsewhere.

Hill was the second straight disappointing second-round draft pick by the Jets. They did not have a second-round pick in 2011. In 2010, they chose offensive lineman Vladimir Ducasse in the second round. He was a disaster. He started just five games in four seasons with the Jets, including the first four last year. He was benched in Week 5 in favor of rookie Brian Winters, who took over the starting left guard spot and still holds it.

The Jets did not attempt to retain Ducasse after last season, when his rookie contract expired. He signed a one-year, $795,000 contract with the Vikings during the offseason. Ducasse has been working with Minnesota's backup line this summer.

Like Ducasse, a Haitian-born player will limited football experience, Hill was a project draft pick, because he ran mostly go routes while playing in a run-focused offense at Georgia Tech. A 6-4 player, he caught just 49 passes in three college seasons. Still, the Jets were intrigued by his physical skills and upside.

Hill might get another chance to realize his potential -- to some degree or another -- with a different NFL team. But the team that liked him so much, not all that long ago, has already decided to move on from him.



You can track all of the Jets' cuts throughout Saturday here.