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NEW YORK — Former BYU quarterback Jake Heaps' dreams of playing in the NFL with the New York Jets were cut short Thursday.
Heaps, a Sammamish, Wash., native who started his college career at BYU before stops at Kansas and Miami (Florida), was released by the Jets to make room for veteran journeyman signal caller Josh Johnson.
The seventh-year quarterback replaced Heaps on the roster after the one-time Cougar moved up into the top three quarterback spots following Geno Smith's surgery to repair a broken jaw caused by an altercation with a former teammate. Johnson, who was signed by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in 2008 out of the University of San Diego, also has experience with Cleveland, Cincinnati and San Francisco.
Along with Smith, Johnson joins veteran quarterbacks Ryan Fitzpatrick and Matt Flynn, as well as 2014 draft pick Bryce Petty from Baylor.
Heaps, a free-agent signing after rookie mini-camp, played in one series for the Jets during the preseason and finishes with one incompletion.
Heaps thanked the Jets on his Instagram page for giving him an opportunity, saying "knowing that God has a plan … just got to keep working hard."
[Thank you to the @nyjets for giving me an opportunity.. Also thank you to Jets fans for being awesome while I have been here! Know that God has a plan.. Just gotta keep working hard](https://instagram.com/p/66BdoDH9TW/) A photo posted by Jake Heaps (@jtheaps9) on