the jets used a large amount of salary cap room to make several high-profile acquisitions in the offseason. on february 29 the team signed former pittsburgh steelers left guard, alan faneca, to a five-year, $40 million contract. the deal made faneca the highest paid offensive lineman in the national football league. the jets then signed former arizona cardinals linebacker, calvin pace, to a six-year, $42 million deal. pace had 6 ½ sacks in 2007, and was considered to fit well with the jets' 3–4 defense. the jets continued to attempt to improve the offensive line by signing detroit lions right tackle damien woody to a five-year $25.5 million contract.