antonio cromartie 1/4/15

Antonio Cromartie is decided between the Jets, Cardinals, and Cowboys in free agency. (David T. Foster, III | Charlotte Observer | TNS)

If Antonio Cromartie knows where he plans to play next year, he's still not saying.

In a Sirius XM radio appearance Tuesday afternoon that took place less than two hours before the super-duper extra official (wink wink) start of NFL free agency, Cromartie told Stephen A. Smith he's down to the Jets, Cardinals, and Cowboys. He also said he expected to make a decision by Tuesday night.

Unrestricted NFL free agents can begin signing with other teams at 4 p.m. Tuesday.

Cromartie had initially said "New York" in reference to the Jets, which prompted Smith to ask him to clarify whether it was the Jets.

"Not the Giants," Cromartie said.

Cromartie had played for the Jets from 2010-13 before being released last spring in a salary-cap purge amid questions about his age (he'll be 31 in April) and chronically aching hip. But he signed on with the Cardinals and had a bit of a bounce-back season.

Earlier Tuesday, Cromartie had alluded to his "childhood dream" of playing for the Cowboys in an appearance on ESPN's "First Take." On Smith's radio show, he again said he planned to retire in Texas.

But Cromartie has been shamelessly lobbying to return to the Jets since the end of the 2014 season. His wife and family and house are still in the area, he reminded Smith. And he loved playing last year for Todd Bowles, the new Jets head coach who had been the Cardinals' defensive coordinator.

Cromartie, who teamed with cornerback Darrelle Revis with the Jets for three seasons, also repeated that he thought the allure of maybe playing for another Super Bowl with the Patriots might be too enticing for Revis, who's set to hit free agency within the hour. The Jets intend to make a big push to bring Revis back.

Smith came up with a hypothetical for Cromartie: $10 million and a chance to play with Revis again with the Jets, or $10 million and a chance to go to the Cowboys. (Understand: No one's going to be giving Cromartie $10 million a year. But still.)

"I couldn't make that decision myself," Cromartie said. "I'd have to talk to my wife."

Dom Cosentino may be reached at dcosentino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @domcosentino. Find NJ.com Jets on Facebook.