BY NICK ST. DENIS
Antonio Cromartie knows his ailing hip will require a more intrusive checkup at the conclusion of the season.
He just hopes the next step isn't anything "too serious."
"Hopefully I don't have to have surgery, or if it is, it's something that's a cleanup job and easy to come by and go from there," Cromartie said Thursday, via ESPN.
The 29-year-old cornerback has battled the nagging hip injury all season long, and it's shown on the field. His stellar play last season in Darrelle Revis' absence created high expectations this year, as the team expected him to put the secondary on his shoulders.
Cromartie hasn't used the ailment as an excuse, but it's undoubtedly been a nuisance as he tries to earn an extension with the organization he says he wants to retire with.
"This is where I want to be," Cromartie said. "My family loves it here
and I think the biggest thing for me is just making sure that going into
this last game I play to the best of my ability."
Cro, who has one year left on his current contract, re-structured his deal last offseason to save the team cap space, though he is due a rather hefty roster bonus this coming month. That bonus will serve as a bit of a deadline for the Jets in their consideration of how to proceed.
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