Valentine Holmes cut by New York Jets

Valentine Holmes is coming back to Australia after his NFL experiment came to an end when he was dumped by the New York Jets.

Valentine Holmes is heading back Down Under.

Valentine Holmes’ pursuit of his NFL dream is over after he was cut by the New York Jets this morning.

The franchise dropped Holmes from its practice squad and he will now return to Australia to continue his NRL career.

The 24-year-old speedster said he had no regrets about ending his time in the NFL and is set to cash in on his return to Australia.

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The Courier Mail’s Peter Badel is reporting Holmes is expected to sign a huge $4 million deal with the Cowboys, who have been linked with the 24-year-old since he left Cronulla.

Latest: The new york jets have cut Valentine Holmes from their practice squad overnight. He is coming back to Australia and the NRL. Expected to formally sign a $4 mil deal with Cowboys in coming weeks.

— Pete Badel (@badel_cmail) November 22, 2019

But expect a wait before he officially announces where he’ll end up.

“I will now take some time off to organise my things and sit down with my family and my agent on my return to Australia todiscuss next steps,” Holmes said on Saturday.

Holmes told AAP previously the North Queensland Cowboys, the Brisbane Broncos and his former club, the Cronulla Sharks, were potential landing spots.

Holmes quit the Sharks at the end of the 2018 season to follow in Jarryd Hayne’s footsteps and try his hand in the NFL.

He landed at the Jets in April after going through the NFL’s International Player Pathway Program and continued his education on the practice squad.

He participated in off-season workouts, training camp and the pre-season with New York. As part of the NFL’s program, all four AFC East teams received an extra spot on their practice squads this season for players to continue working.

Holmes was hopeful of remaining on the practice squad before graduating to become a fully-fledged member of the 53-man roster next season but he won’t get that chance after being dumped by the team.

The fleet-footed speedster impressed at times during the pre-season, finishing his stint as a running back and wide receiver with 11 carries for nine yards and eight catches for 85 yards in four appearances.

Despite being cut, Holmes added he was glad he took the shot.

“Joining the New York Jets has been an awesome experience, one I would never change,” Holmes said.

“I made personal and professional sacrifices to secure the opportunity to pull on the Jets helmet and uniform.

“I will live with no regrets around my decision to pursue an NFL career.”

Valentine Holmes might be back in the green and gold rather soon.

Holmes was one of rugby league’s hottest talents before he headed Stateside and was widely viewed as the best winger in the game.

He won a premiership with Cronulla in 2016 and became a fixture in the Queensland and Australian sides as he established himself as a try-scoring sensation.

Before he started his NFL journey there was talk he wanted to leave the Sydney Shire and return home to Queensland and it’s looking increasingly like he’ll ink a deal that will see him play in Townsville.

Touted as a $1 million-a-season player, the Cowboys are reportedly prepared to splash big to recruit the flyer with a view to him playing fullback.

His impending signing would make it impossible for the Cowboys to recruit wantaway Sydney Roosters centre Latrell Mitchell after they built a war chest that could accommodate one big-money signing ahead of season 2020, but not two.

The Roosters withdrew their $1.6 million, two-year offer to Mitchell and he is shopping himself around for another club. The NSW Origin star is off-contract in 2020.

Mitchell met North Queensland officials recently but it’s looking like he’ll sign with the Wests Tigers after the Bulldogs — another party rumoured to be chasing the 22-year-old — recently released a statement saying they had no interest in offering him a contract.

— with AAP