Jets Sign Jamaal Pritchett, Elevate Shepard and Jason Sanders

The Jets signed wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett to the 53-man roster Saturday and elevated kicker Jason Sanders and wide receiver Sterling Shepard from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Lions in Detroit. The team announced all three moves ahead of Week 3. It is another shuffle of the Jets Roster, with Arian Smith and Omar Cooper Jr. on injured reserve.

Pritchett signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in May 2025 and spent last season on their practice squad. He caught three passes for 24 yards against Tampa Bay in the 2026 preseason, according to the Jets. The team’s report says, “Sunday will be Pritchett’s first career NFL appearance.” It’s a big opportunity for a player who has been working toward that first regular-season snap.

Shepard brings a much different résumé to the receiver group. The former Giant and Buccaneer joined the Jets’ practice squad last week after playing 13 games for Tampa Bay last season, when he caught 39 passes for 371 yards and a touchdown. The Jets now have an experienced option available alongside Pritchett as they work through the injuries at wide receiver.

Sanders remains on the practice squad, but this is his third straight game-day elevation, and he has handled the kicks through the first two weeks. The Jets official stats show him 4-for-5 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points: he made kicks from 33, 51, and 52 yards at Tennessee, missed from 54, then connected from 32 yards against Green Bay. The 54-yard attempt is his only regular-season miss so far.

Blake Grupe is on the 53-man roster, but he was inactive for both games while Sanders kicked. Sanders spent seven seasons with Miami and went 37-for-41 on field goals in 2024 before a hip injury kept him out for all of 2025. The Jets signed him in June, released him when they claimed Grupe, then re-signed him to the practice squad at the end of August. For now, the roster spot belongs to Grupe and the kicking duties belong to Sanders.