Osi Umenyiora: Latest News, Rumors and Speculation Surrounding Free-Agent DE

Following a difficult 2014 season, there is a great deal of uncertainty surrounding the future of free-agent defensive end Osi Umenyiora.   

Continue for updates.

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Umenyiora Visits Bowles at Jets Facility

Thursday, March 19

Mike Garafolo of Fox Sports reported the New York Jets and Umenyiora met about a possible signing:

However, Jets general manager Mike Maccagnan told Rich Cimini of ESPN that Umenyiora was visiting head coach Todd Bowles in a social capacity and that it wasn't a scheduled visit.

Umenyiora currently does not have any visits scheduled, per Adam Caplan of ESPN.com. 

Although the 33-year-old veteran played in all 16 games for the Atlanta Falcons this past season, he didn't log a single start, and he finished the campaign with just 2.5 sacks. While the Falcons fell just short of the playoffs, Umenyiora and the defense as a whole didn't perform particularly well.

The Falcons lost to the Carolina Panthers in a 34-3 rout in Week 17. The NFC South title and a playoff berth were on the line in that game, but Atlanta simply didn't show up despite being at home.

Following that one-sided defeat, Umenyiora was clearly deflated, per SiriusXM NFL Radio (via Bobby Bonett of SiriusXM.com):

"

For what happened, my disappointment level is on another level. Because for everything that was on the line, for everything that people had to play for—we're talking about peoples' lives here, you understand? People were playing for their lives, for their coaches' lives, and for the team to say they support this man and support this coach (Mike Smith), and then to go out there and perform like that, was, quite frankly, ridiculous.

"

During the aftermath of the game, Umenyiora acted in a manner that caused John Manasso of FoxSports.com to speculate that retirement might be on the horizon:

That had been the expectation among fans for quite some time, though, as Umenyiora had previously announced his intention to step away from the game of football, per Zach Klein of WSBTV.com:

With that said, nothing was made official, so there was still a chance that the two-time Pro Bowler might look to sign elsewhere during the offseason.

If the former Troy Trojan does decide to retire, he can do so with his head held high. He spent nine spectacular seasons with the New York Giants before playing two years with the Falcons.

He was chosen as an All-Pro once as a member of the G-Men, and he won a pair of Super Bowls as well.

His 85 career sacks rank 49th on the all-time list, which is a level of success few could have ever predicted for the English-born star.

It became clear in 2014 that Umenyiora simply isn't the same player he once was. It happens to even the greatest athletes, and he is not an exception to that rule.

Retiring may be his best option so he doesn't do anything to negatively impact his legacy, but finishing in New York has to be tempting.

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