ESPN NFL

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Graham

Throughout the day I'll post the rundowns of free agents for each AFC East club.

We'll start off with the New York Jets, who have a lot of work to do to get their roster organized for 2009.

They're already about $7 million over the projected salary cap because of an accumulation of prorated signing bonuses.

Before we get to the list of free agents, here are some of the higher cap numbers for Jets under contract. I think everybody can identify one player in particular who will alleviate a lot a lot of cap strain if he doesn't return:

• QB Brett Favre $13 million
• OLB Calvin Pace 11.8 million
• S Kerry Rhodes $10.6 million
• G Alan Faneca $7.89 million
• WR Laveranues Coles $7 million
• DE Shaun Ellis $6.875 million
• T Damien Woody $6.5 million
  
• NT Kris Jenkins 6.4 million
  
• T D'Brickashaw Ferguson $6 million
• G Brandon Moore $5.85 million

Here are the Jets whose contracts are up:

Unrestricted (free to negotiate with any team beginning Feb. 27)

• LB Eric Barton
• CB Ahmad Carroll
• RB Jesse Chatman
• K Jay Feely
• TE Bubba Franks
• CB Ty Law
• DT C.J. Mosley
• K Mike Nugent
• CB Hank Poteat
• FB Tony Richardson
• LB Cody Spencer

Restricted (Jets have right to match offer from other team)

• S Abram Elam

Exclusive rights (cannot negotiate with other teams if tendered qualifying offer)

• WR David Clowney
• QB Brett Ratliff
• WR Wallace Wright