"Shaun Ellis doesn't know whether he'll be back wearing a Jets uniform next season.

"I want to be here, but it's up in the air," the free-agent-to-be defensive lineman said after last night's season-ending 24-19 loss to the Steelers in the AFC Championship. "If not, I had a great time."

Ellis may have plenty of company on the list of those who have played their final game with Gang Green. General manager Mike Tannenbaum has to make critical decisions on a host of free agents -- defensively, they include Ellis (the longest-tenured Jet), David Harris, Antonio Cromartie and Brodney Pool. The names on offense include Braylon Edwards, Santonio Holmes, Tony Richardson and Brad Smith.

Richardson could retire -- he didn't address the question after the game -- and Jason Taylor could, too.

"We finished this thing an hour ago or whatever it was," Taylor said. "We'll cross that bridge. We'll see if Mike and Rex [Jets coach Ryan] even want me back."

All the free agents are key players to some degree, particularly Edwards, Holmes, Cromartie, Harris, Smith and Ellis.

Edwards and Holmes will be interesting cases. Can the Jets afford to spend to bring both back? Are both worth big contracts? Whom do they prefer if they can only re-sign one?"