Jets Surprisingly Terminate Contract of 8-Year NFL Veteran

The New York Jets have decided to release linebacker Troy Reeder, according to a report from Jets insider Brian Costello.

The move comes as the team continues reshaping its roster during the 2026 season. Costello noted that Reeder could potentially return to the organization by signing with the practice squad.

In related transactions, the Jets are also releasing tight end Cody Hardy from the practice squad while adding defensive end Quinton Bell to that unit.

Reeder, who turns 32 this year, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Delaware following the 2019 draft.

He signed with the Los Angeles Rams and managed to earn a spot on the 53-man roster out of training camp that summer. The Rams brought him back on one-year contracts for both the 2020 and 2021 seasons.

After testing free agency for the first time in 2022, Reeder landed with the Los Angeles Chargers. He then spent the 2023 campaign with the Minnesota Vikings before returning to the Rams in September 2024 on another one-year deal. The Rams re-signed him after that season.

Reeder’s path later took him to the Detroit Lions, where he was among the players waived as the team trimmed its roster to 53. He subsequently joined the Jets on their practice squad and earned a promotion to the active roster near the end of September.

Through the early portion of the 2026 season, Reeder has appeared in four games for New York and recorded four tackles. His release adds another layer of turnover along the Jets’ linebacking group as the team navigates the middle of the campaign.

These roster adjustments reflect the ongoing evaluation process teams undertake once the regular season is underway.

Practice-squad moves, in particular, allow clubs to retain developmental or depth players while freeing up spots for new additions.

For Reeder, a return to the Jets’ practice squad remains a possibility, which would keep him in the organization without occupying a spot on the 53-man roster. The simultaneous addition of Quinton Bell and the departure of Cody Hardy indicate that New York is prioritizing certain positional needs on its developmental roster.

Reeder’s career has been defined by persistence as a journeyman linebacker who has bounced among several franchises since going undrafted. His ability to stick on rosters and practice squads over multiple seasons underscores the value teams sometimes place on veteran depth at the position, even if playing time remains limited.

With only a handful of tackles recorded this year, his release suggests the Jets have identified other options they prefer for the current roster.

How the team proceeds at linebacker and on the practice squad in the coming days will likely clarify whether Reeder’s time in New York is truly finished or merely paused.