Jets Sign Trevor Pryce

The New York Jets have intercepted the Ravens' plans to re-sign defensive end Trevor Pryce, who was waived by Baltimore on Wednesday.

New York signed Pryce on Thursday and Jets coach Rex Ryan said that Pryce would play Sunday against the Buffalo Bills in passing situations.

"We saw it as an opportunity, a window maybe," Ryan told reporters. "As soon as we saw that they released him, we of course got a little excited about it."

"The guy's a finisher," Ryan said.

The Jets released Howard Green to clear a roster spot for Pryce but Ryan hinted that the team would like to eventually re-sign the defensive tackle.

Baltimore is on the hook to pay Pryce his $2 million in guaranteed salary, plus whatever the Jets have paid him on his new one-year deal, a source told ESPN NFL Insider Adam Schefter.

Pryce was given a tour of the Jets' facility by Ryan, owner Woody Johnson and general manager Mike Tannenbaum during the media's locker room availability.

"I'm just here for a visit," a smiling Pryce said before Ryan officially announced the signing.

Pryce ranks third in sacks among active players but has only one tackle this season. The 35-year-old has not started any of Baltimore's three games.

Ravens coach John Harbaugh said Wednesday that there was a "high possibility" that Pryce would return.

Pryce was waived to make room for safety Ken Hamlin, who was released by Baltimore last week. Hamlin will probably contribute on special teams in Sunday's game against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

"You've got roster issues that you deal with. It's not something we wanted to do," Harbaugh said of the move. "Trevor is a big part of what we're doing here, and we anticipate getting him back. It's just what we had to do for now."

Harbaugh insisted that Hamlin was simply a better fit on the roster for this week.

"We're going to put the 45 best guys out there," he said. "I would rather have Trevor here this week playing, but we're not able to do that. We just have a numbers situation."

Pryce's locker had not been cleared out at the Ravens' facility Wednesday and remained untouched Thursday, according to the Baltimore Sun. Safety Ed Reed wore Pryce's jersey Thursday before practice, according to the newspaper.

"I found out last night," Ravens nose tackle Kelly Gregg told the Sun. "He called right after we got out of practice. It's just sad to see a guy like that go. He was instrumental in our defense and in our room, and it's just a crazy situation."

The Jets were in need of some depth on the line after losing Ropati Pitoitua and Kris Jenkins to season-ending injuries. The move to bring in Pryce might also allow the Jets to leave Vernon Gholston primarily at outside linebacker until Calvin Pace returns from a broken right foot suffered in the preseason.

New York also has the NFL's top active sacks leaders in Jason Taylor, who has a sack in each of the last two games but has played a lot more than originally expected because of Pace's injury.

"He's an amazing player," defensive end Mike DeVito said. "To add this great a player to the team will only help us."

The 6-foot-5, 290-pound Pryce was a first-round pick of the Broncos out of Clemson in 1997 and was a part of two straight Super Bowl championship teams in 1998 and '99. He was also selected to the Broncos' 50th anniversary team last year.

Pryce signed with Baltimore in 2006, and had a career-high 13 sacks in his first season under Ryan, then the Ravens' defensive coordinator.