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Jets working out recently cleared former Bills punter
Matt Araiza. Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Jets working out recently cleared former Bills punter

The New York Jets are working out former Buffalo Bills punter Matt Araiza on Wednesday.

Araiza was recently cleared of any wrongdoing after San Diego State University conducted an investigation into allegations of rape and gang rape.

According to an ESPN report, Araiza "might not have a clear path to a roster spot" with New York, after the Jets signed veteran one-time Pro Bowler Thomas Morstead in April. The 37-year-old Morstead signed a $1.3 million contract with New York, a deal that gives him $1.1 million guaranteed.

Earlier in May, Araiza's agent (Joe Linta) sent approximately 20 NFL teams an audio file of a meeting in December between Araiza’s reported victim and San Diego deputy district attorney Trisha Amador in which she explains why no charges were filed against Araiza.

"Because of what's in the video, I can't prove a forceable sexual assault,” Amador told Araiza’s reported victim in the audio file.

Per a transcript of the audio file, the district attorney’s office concluded that the punter was not present at the time of the alleged rape based on video evidence from that night, which included nine videos of the woman having sexual encounters with men who were not Araiza.

As part of their recent investigation, San Diego State University also concluded that none of the former students named in the lawsuit were the subject of a current investigation, "although it reserved the right to 'reinstate' an investigation if there are new developments."

Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft and signed a four-year, $3.8 million contract with the organization. However, he was cut just two days after the allegations came out in August 2022.

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