The Jets reached the AFC Championship game last season, eliminating Tomlinson and the Chargers along the way.
The 2006 NFL MVP, cut last month by San Diego, chose New York over Minnesota after visiting the Vikings Thursday. Tomlinson spent Friday with the Jets, capping it with dinner with coach Rex Ryan, general manager Mike Tannenbaum, and other team officials.
The Jets went after Tomlinson hard even though he turns 31 in June, is coming off his least productive season, and there are questions whether he has much left. New York apparently still saw plenty to like from Tomlinson, who ranks eighth on the NFL’s career rushing list with 12,490 yards.
Meanwhile, Ryan underwent lap-band surgery at NYU Medical Center Saturday to help him fight obesity. He was relaxing at his home in New Jersey yesterday, said team spokesman Bruce Speight.
Browns ship Quinn
The Cleveland Browns were busy yesterday, trading quarterback Brady Quinn to the Denver Broncos for fullback Peyton Hillis and a 2011 draft pick, then shipped linebacker Kamerion Wimbley to the Raiders for an undisclosed draft pick.
Quinn’s departure comes one day after the Browns agreed to terms with free agent Jake Delhomme on a two-year contract.
Quinn went 3-9 in 12 starts for Cleveland, which drafted him in the first round of the 2007 draft.
“I appreciate everything Brady did for us last year and in his three seasons with the Cleveland Browns,’’ coach Eric Mangini said in a statement. “He is professional in the way he goes about doing his job and worked extremely hard at every aspect of his game. I wish him the best of success in Denver.’’
The Broncos pursued Quinn last season when they were trying to replace Jay Cutler.
Oakland senior executive John Herrera said the Raiders gave up a pick it had acquired in a previous deal to land Wimbley. The Raiders had acquired a third-round pick from the Patriots last summer in a deal for Derrick Burgess.
Wimbley becomes the fourth former first-round pick on Oakland’s defense, joining Richard Seymour, Nnamdi Asomugha, and Michael Huff.
