New Orleans Saints running back Chris Ivory met with the New York Jets on Friday, a source informed of the visit told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport on Saturday. The Saints placed a second-round tender on the restricted free agent, but Ivory and the Jets both are interested in getting a deal done.
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Ivory rushed for a career-high 716 yards and five touchdowns as a rookie in 2010, but injuries and a loaded backfield that includes Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram has limited his work the last two seasons in New Orleans. The restricted free-agent offer from the Saints is for one year at $2.023 million, according to The Times-Picayune. If Ivory signs an offer sheet with the Jets, the Saints have five days to match the offer. They would receive a second-round pick in the 2013 NFL Draft if they didn't match the offer.
A second-round pick would be a significant investment, but the Jetsneed a tailback after Shonn Greene signed with the Tennessee Titans. The Jets signed Mike Goodson and have Bilal Powell and Joe McKnight under contract.
According to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News, the Jetsaren't interested in giving up the pick, but they would explore a trade.
Stay tuned.
Follow Kareem Copeland on Twitter @kareemcopeland.