New York Jets Terminate Contract of Speedy WR

The New York Jets have terminated the contract of undrafted rookie wide receiver D.T. Sheffield, waiving him with an injury settlement. The move ends Sheffield’s brief tenure with the team after he was first waived/injured earlier in the week and subsequently placed on injured reserve.

Sheffield, a 25-year-old product of Rutgers, signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in early May following the 2026 NFL Draft. The 5-foot-7, 175-pound receiver arrived with limited guaranteed money on a three-year deal but brought a standout trait that stood out to evaluators: terrific speed.

He ran in the mid-4.3s to low-4.4s range in the 40-yard dash and showed the suddenness and explosiveness that can create separation in the slot or on returns.

In his lone season at Rutgers in 2025, Sheffield recorded 44 receptions for 557 yards and five touchdowns across 12 games.

The previous year at North Texas, he enjoyed a breakout campaign with 66 catches, 822 yards, and a conference-leading 11 touchdowns, earning All-AAC recognition as both a receiver and return specialist. He also spent time at Washington State and at the junior-college level earlier in his career.

Sheffield made it through most of training camp before sustaining an undisclosed injury. The Jets signed former San Francisco 49ers practice-squad player Junior Bergen in conjunction with the initial waiver, adding depth at receiver and in the return game.

Once Sheffield cleared waivers and reverted to injured reserve, the club opted for an injury settlement, freeing him to sign elsewhere once healthy rather than keeping him on IR for the full 2026 season.

For a late-round or undrafted speedster, roster battles are often decided by special-teams production and injury luck as much as practice flashes.

Sheffield’s combination of quickness, route-running ability in the slot, and return experience gave him a realistic path to compete for a depth role or practice-squad spot.

The injury, however, shifted the calculus for a Jets receiving corps already navigating camp cuts and depth decisions.

Sheffield is now free to rehabilitate and pursue opportunities with other clubs once medically cleared. His elite speed remains his calling card—an attribute that frequently earns second chances in a league that prizes vertical threats and playmakers who can stretch the field or flip field position on returns.

While his Jets chapter closed quickly, the traits that earned him an NFL opportunity are still there, and healthier days ahead could open new doors in the coming weeks or months.