Updated: April 25, 2010, 4:43 PM ET
Faneca unhappy with Jets' decision
By Rich Cimini
ESPNNewYork.com
When Alan Faneca signed with the New York Jets two years ago, he figured it would be the ideal place to finish his career -- a career that might land him in the Hall of Fame someday.
On Friday night, Day 2 of the NFL draft, the former Jets guard received a phone call from coach Rex Ryan, and everything changed. Faneca, a nine-time Pro Bowl selection, was fired.
Commenting for the first time since his release, Faneca expressed mixed emotions about his departure, but he did say he was "upset" with the Jets' decision to let a couple of unproven players battle for his former job.
"I'm not sure what I am," Faneca said Sunday afternoon in an e-mail to ESPNNewYork.com. "I'm not necessarily angry, but I did not want things to end the way they did. I'm upset with their decision. I think they made the decision that they felt was for the future of the team.
"That's fine, this is a business, but everyone wants to leave on their own terms. I'll move on and find another opportunity to play. My family and I had a great time being part of the Jets and the community and will always look at our time here and the friends we made as a great time in our lives."
Faneca, 33, didn't say where he might end up, but he figures to attract interest. The Jets owe him $5.25 million, so he probably will sign somewhere for the veterans minimum -- a bargain for a team looking for an accomplished former Super Bowl champion.
"We did a lot of great things last year on the field," Faneca said. "I guess the phrase, 'If it ain't broke, then don't fix it' doesn't apply here. I think they put a lot of faith in Cally [offensive line coach Bill Callahan], as do I. He is a great coach that they feel he can get the job done."
The Jets' offensive line was arguably the best in the league last season, as the Jets led the NFL in rushing. Faneca, D'Brickashaw Ferguson, Nick Mangold, Brandon Moore and Damien Woody started 32 consecutive games together, the longest streak in the NFL.
It'll be a two-man battle for Faneca's job between second-year backup Matt Slauson (no NFL starts) and second-round pick Vladimir Ducasse.
Rich Cimini covers the Jets for ESPNNewYork.com. Follow him on Twitter.