The New York Jets have trimmed their roster, waiving 25 players, releasing four veterans, and placing three on injured reserve. This move brings the team's roster down to 52 players, just one under the Sunday 53-player limit. Head coach Aaron Glenn acknowledges the difficulty of these cuts, stating, 'This league goes on and you have to make these cuts and try to build your team to where it needs to be.'
Among the players released are rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik, who impressed with a 61.8% pass completion rate and three scoring drives in the preseason. The team also waived Bailey Zappe and Brady Cook, both quarterbacks, and released veteran wide receiver Tim Patrick. The Jets' defense saw the release of Mory Bamba and Jordan Clark, while the offense lost Braelon Allen and Kene Nwangwu.
The Jets' roster now features a mix of young talent and experienced players. With 29 players having four or fewer years of NFL experience and 23 with five or more, the team is a blend of youth and veteran leadership. This balance is evident in the presence of players like LB Demario Davis, DL David Onyemata, WR Tim Patrick, and QB Geno Smith, who are all over 30 years old.
GM Darren Mougey expressed satisfaction with the team's progress, noting that the cutdown process has been smoother this year due to prior experience. Mougey stated, 'It's been great, just time on task with everyone going through an entire process.'
Looking ahead, the Jets have the flexibility to continue shaping their roster. They can add players from other teams, execute trades, and fill a 16-player practice squad. The waiver wire will be a key area for the team, with the opportunity to claim players from other teams. The Jets hold the second slot in the waiver-wire priority, which will be active until Week 4 of the regular season.
The team's practice squad rules allow for 16 players, with the option to add an international pathway player without counting against the limit. Ten of the 16 players must have no more than two accrued seasons, while the other six have no limitations. The Jets can promote two players from their practice squad on gameday, with each player reverting back to the PS up to three times.
In terms of injured players, those on PUP or NFI don't count towards the 53-man roster and are eligible to return after the team's fourth game. Players placed on IR before the cut to 53 are ineligible to return during the regular season unless designated to return. If a player is placed on injured reserve after the roster cuts, they must miss four weeks.
