Jeremy Kerley

The Jets took advantage of a roster exemption to keep Kerley around after he served a four-game suspension, but the team ultimately decided he wasn't worth bringing back to the 53-man roster. The 29-year-old slot receiver will probably have a tough time finding work at this stage of the season, though it won't be hard to find a team that's willing to give him a shot next year. Kerley was efficient with his limited workload in eight games this season, catching 22 of 27 targets for 217 yards and a touchdown.

The nature of the violation and the duration of the suspension are not immediately clear, but presumably he will not be available for Thursday's game against the Bills.

After a one-year stint with the 49ers, Kerley finds himself in familiar climes, as he spent the first five seasons of his career with the Jets. The loss of Quincy Enunwa (neck) for the season had opened the door for Robby Anderson to head the receiving corps, but the arrival of Jermaine Kearse and now Kerley throws a wrench into those expectations. Expect Kerley to operate out of the slot, where he could be a reliable option for veteran quarterback Josh McCown after corralling a career-best 64 passes in 2016.

Kerley was considered a favorite for the No. 3 receiver role, but the Niners do have a pair of cheaper alternatives in Aldrick Robinson and fifth-round rookie Trent Taylor. While Kerley's 64 receptions from last season might draw some attention, his production was entirely driven by a degree of volume (115 targets) that he's ill equipped to handle. He produced meager marks of 10.4 yards per catch and 5.8 yards per target, with the latter ranking behind only Tavon Austin's 4.8 among the league's 45 100-target receivers. Kerley likely will settle into a depth and special teams role if he signs elsewhere before the season.