Free agent linebacker Jason Taylor is headed back to Florida without signing a contract with the New York Jets, Manish Mehta of the Newark Star-Ledger reports.

ESPN's John Clayton reported on Wednesday that the Jets were "heavily recruiting" Taylor, who Jets head coach Rex Ryan thinks could post 15 quarterback sacks in his defensive scheme.

Taylor has spent 12 of his 13 NFL seasons with the Miami Dolphins, who selected Taylor out of Akron University in the third-round (97th overall) of the 1997 NFL Draft. Taylor has posted 127.5 quarterback sacks during his career, producing double-digit sack totals in six seasons, each ending with a trip to the Pro Bowl. Taylor was three-time first-team All-Pro, and was named the Associated Press' 2006 Defensive Player of the Year in 2006, as well to the NFL's All-Decade Team for the 2000s.

After a forgettable 2008 season with the Washington Redskins, Taylor returned to Miami in 2009, starting 15 of 16 games, totaling 42 tackles, including 7 quarterback sacks, which tied for second-most on the club.

Dolphins general manager Jeff Ireland addressed the Taylor situation during a pre-draft press conference today.

"This organization knows exactly our stance on it," Ireland said, according to Armando Salguero of the Miami Herald. "Jason and his agent know our stance on it. And I'm not going to air our business through the media. They know exactly where our stance is. We know both sides of it and that's where I'll leave it."

A desire to improve the pass rush is a priority for the Jets this off-season, as they managed just 32 quarterback sacks last season. The Jets posted 7 quarterback sacks during the playoffs, relying heavily on Rex Ryan's imaginative blitz packages to get to the opposing quarterback. Outside linebacker Bryan Thomas was the only edge rusher to reach the quarterback in the playoffs.

Mehta adds that Thomas' roster spot would not be in jeopardy if the Jets signed Taylor.