Jets Sign TE Rasby, Waive WR Williams & DE Barnaby
The New York Jets announced Monday they have signed tight end Walter Rasby. The Jets also announced they have released wide receiver Curtis Williams and defensive end Val Barnaby. The announcements were made by Jets' General Manger Mike Tannenbaum.
Rasby joins the Jets after spending the 2005 season with the New England Patriots. He originally entered the NFL in 1994 as a rookie free agent with the Pittsburgh Steelers. He went on to play with the Carolina Panthers (1995-97), the Detroit Lions (1998-2000), the Washington Redskins (2001-02, 04) and the New Orleans Saints (2003) .
In his 11-year career, Rasby has had 62 receptions for 516 yards and one touchdown. The 6-3, 252-pound tight end had a career-high 10 receptions for 128 yards in 2001. He led Wake Forest as a senior tight end with 32 receptions for 247 yards.
Williams, 6-2 and 204-pounds, was signed by the Baltimore Ravens as a rookie free agent on April 29, 2005. He was then waived on Aug. 29. Williams played 44 games at the University of Maryland, where he was a safety and linebacker, in addition to playing wide receiver. He was signed by the New York Giants on January 17, 2006 and was waived by the team on May 17, 2006.
The 6-5, 270-pound Barnaby was tied for second in the Big East (and tied for 14th nationally) with 10.0 sacks in 2005. Barnaby teamed with fellow defensive end Ryan Neill to give the Scarlet Knights a fierce pass rush in 2005, as Rutgers was tied for second nationally with 47 sacks. Barnaby, an All-State center at Franklin Township High School, recorded 41 tackles in 2005 to help lead Rutgers to a third place finish in the Big East and a berth in the Insight Bowl. He was also tied for seventh in the Conference with 13.0 tackles for loss. As a starter at defensive end in his final two seasons at Rutgers, Barnaby concluded his career with 109 tackles, including 23 tackles for losses and 12 sacks.
