The Jets continue to make roster moves that prove they’re not just surviving a lost season, they’re committed to building through it

Kobe King, a sixth-round draft choice by the Minnesota Vikings in the 2025 NFL Draft, is now a New York Jet. The Vikings cut King loose as the other half of their transaction to active running back Aaron Jones off of injured reserve this week, leaving the rookie vulnerable to be claimed. The Jets, who own the top stop in the NFL's waiver wire, quickly obliged.

Who is King as a player? He's a dense, plug linebacker who was one of the better close quarters run defenders in this year's NFL Draft. A redshirt junior out of Penn State, King is a take-on player in the box who can get downhill and attack blocks.

It's a really fun contrast to the other linebackers in this Jets defense, who offer loads of speed and range and explosiveness in space.

Recent New York Jets roster additions to defense

• Traded for cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. from Tennessee
• Claimed linebacker Kobe King off waivers from Minnesota
• Claimed linebacker Cam Jones off waivers from Kansas City

Finding sensible overlap opportunities to try to get King on the field will now be the task at hand for Aaron Glenn and company. Glenn was notorious for using three linebackers at the same time during his tenure with the Detroit Lions as a defensive coordinator. This could be the first clue we have at them pursuing something similar in New York.

It will be helpful to have Quincy Williams back in action, too. He's been designated for return and should give the Jets' defense even more reinforcements on the second level. Maybe King turns into a waiver wire gem. Maybe it's a whole bunch of nothing. But one thing that is certain is that the roster churn is good process by the Jets, who despite their record are free to continue to hunt upgrades in the first year of their new regime.

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