Jets' Green Placed On IR

December 15, 1999 / 5:39 PM EST / CBS/AP

Eric Green's lost season ended with three games to go.

Green's 10th year as an NFL player was, by far, the most unproductive and frustrating of his career. The tight end, signed by the New York Jets as a free agent for $7.5 million over four years, has a neck injury and was placed on injured reserve Wednesday.

In 10 games, Green caught seven passes for 37 yards and two touchdowns. His blocking, considered a strength for the 6-foot-5, 280-pounder, was mediocre.

Mostly, he was bothered by neck and knee problems and never fit into the offense. And because he will cost the Jets nearly $2 million to keep next season, it's likely Green's stay with the team ended Wednesday.

"It just didn't work out that well," coach Bill Parcells said. "Sometimes it's the situation. He had a knee problem, his neck was bothering him, he had a lot of injuries."

Parcells has not been enamored of Green's work this year, even saying during Green's previous injury-caused absence that he might be gone "forever."

With Green sidelined, the Jets will start Fred Baxter, who has played well in Green's absence. Rarely used Blake Spence will be the backup.

Parcells added that the Jets will fulfill their contract responsibility toward Green, who has $750,000 guaranteed for next year. If Green is released after the season, he would count for $1.5 million against the salary cap. And the coach won't be soured on signing veteran free agents, even though Green and, to a far lesser extent, safety Steve Atwater, have been disappointing.

Atwater also has been plagued by injuries and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game at Dallas with a hamstring pull.

"I did the same thing last year with Bryan Cox and Vinny Testaverde and it worked out," Parcells said of his key 1998 signings, which helped the team reach the AFC championship game. "(Punter) Tom Tupa is not a young player and he did well" after being signed last winter.

"I don't lump Atwater in there, he has done pretty well," added Parcells, who let incumbent tight end Kyle Brady leave for Jacksonville as a free agent and replaced him with Green. "It doesn't always work out and you move on from there.

"You always have to be conscious of age in this league. This is a physical game and the older players do not recover as well. t is problematic for them.

"Would that keep me from signing players? Here I am trying to sign Mo Lewis and he is no spring chicken," Parcells said of the 30-year-old linebacker whose contract expires after this season.