Jets Narrow Roster To 52 Players

NFL teams had to reduce their rosters to 53 by the 6 p.m. ET deadline on Sunday. The Jets released or waived 32 players and sent six to IR or PUP, leaving them with one available roster spot.

Released:

• OL Xavier Newman-Johnson
• CB Samuel Womack 
• OL Landon Young
• QB Bailey Zappe (story)

Waived:

• DB Mory Bamba
• WR Junior Bergen
• WR Cam Camper
• S Dean Clark
• DB Jordan Clark
• QB Brady Cook
• EDGE Anthony Dunn Jr.
• LB Paschal Ekeji
• OL Courtland Ford
• G Liam Fornadel
• DB Keenan Garber
• G Marquis Hayes
• DT Jack Heflin
• OL Xavier Hill
• LB Jaden Keller
• EDGE Nate Lynn
• WR Malik McClain
• S Jarius Monroe
• DL Payton Page
• WR Jamaal Pritchett
• WR Quincy Skinner
• DT Mazi Smith (story)
• DT Junior Tafuna
• S Tanner Wall
• LB Chase Wilson

Waived/injured:

• TE Chase Curtis
• TE Connor Hulstein
• RB Dominic Richardson

Placed on reserve/PUP list:

• LB Tyler Baron

Placed on IR:

• CB Tre Brown
• RB Chip Trayanum
• LB Mykal Walker

Placed on IR (return designation):

• OL Anez Cooper
• S VJ Payne

After booting Zappe and Cook from their roster, the Jets are down to two quarterbacks: starter Geno Smith and fourth-round rookie Cade Klubnik. With Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor dealing with injuries, Cook made four starts as an undrafted rookie last year. However, the former Missouri Tiger struggled so badly that the Jets are subjecting him to waivers ahead of his second season. In four losses, Cook completed 57.5% of passes, threw two touchdowns against seven interceptions and posted a 55.4 rating.

It remains to be seen if the Jets will try to bring Cook back on their practice squad, but Adam Schefter of ESPN reports they intend to do so with Jordan Clark. The son of longtime defensive back and current media personality Ryan Clark, Jordan got into six games with the Jets as a UDFA from Notre Dame last year. He played 170 snaps (139 on defense, 31 on special teams) and made nine tackles.

The banged-up Cooper and Payne, two members of the Jets’ 2026 draft class, will be eligible to return to practice in Week 5. Cooper, a sixth-round pick, is dealing with a shoulder injury. Payne, a seventh-rounder, has been down with a bone bruise, per Eric Allen and Amanda Vogt of the team’s website.