The New York Jets have trimmed their roster to 53, but the clearest sign of how they’re approaching this season might be what they left off the list.
For now, Aaron Glenn’s team is carrying only two quarterbacks.
That was the surprising wrinkle in ESPN’s Monday rundown of the biggest roster decisions around the league, and for the Jets, the headline wasn’t a new addition or a surprising cut. It was the decision not to keep a third arm in the room.
“Things could change, but for now, they're riding with Geno Smith and rookie Cade Klubnik, whose preseason was spotty,” Rich Cimini of ESPN states.
The quarterback setup is the most eye-catching part of the roster, but it wasn’t the only notable move. Cimini also pointed out that “inconsistent kicker Jason Sanders survived cut-down day, but that situation is fluid.” And on the offensive line, the Jets went shopping for help, landing veteran G/C Jordan Meredith in a trade with the Raiders.
That move matters because Meredith is now set up as the team’s top backup at both center and guard. Cimini noted, “The Raiders allowed the most sacks in the NFL, and now the Jets have two of their linemen -- Meredith and LG Dylan Parham -- and also Smith. Interesting,” he adds.
So while the Jets made changes in a few spots, the biggest story is still the one at quarterback. Smith is entering a make-or-break year, and if things go sideways, the Jets will be asking a lot from Klubnik with no third quarterback waiting in the wings.
In Other News...
Raiders Made A Few Telling Calls On Their First 53-Man Roster
The Raiders settled on their initial 53-man roster with the kind of choices that usually tell you as much about the teams thinking as the depth chart itself. One of the clearest moves came with the trade of offensive lineman Jordan Meredith to the Jets, while the rest of the roster took shape across the usual position groups, including three quarterbacks, four running backs or fullbacks, and six wide receivers.
It is still only the first version of the roster, and Las Vegas already has some players on injured reserve as it turns its attention to Week One against the Dolphins. As always around cutdown day, the list is less a finished product than a snapshot, and the Raiders may still be active on the waiver wire as they try to fine-tune the group that will open the season. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders 53-Man Roster Already Created Some Clear Winners And Losers
The Raiders initial 53-man roster came together at the cutdown deadline, and even before the dust settled it was clear some players had come out of the process in better shape than others. Patrick Johnson, Ashton Jeanty, Mike Washington Jr., Foley Fatukasi, Aidan OConnell, Cody Lindenberg, Tommy Eichenberg, Matt Gay and Alex Ward all found themselves on the right side of the numbers, a sign their spots and roles are at least intact as the team turns the page toward the season.
For others, the same deadline brought a far different reality. Keyron Crawford, Atonio Mafi and J.J. Pegues were among the players on the wrong side of the roster math, a reminder of how quickly opportunity can narrow in late August. The early read on this group is less about finality than fallout, because the first version of the roster often says as much about where a player stands with the Raiders as any summer practice ever could. [Read more 🡒]
Raiders Defense Just Got A New Name To Watch Up Front
After roster cutdown day, the Raiders initial 53-man group brought a clearer look at where the defensive front is headed, and second-year tackle Tonka Hemingway is suddenly right in the middle of it. What started as a promising camp battle turned into a real opportunity, with Hemingway flashing the kind of pass-rush ability and athleticism that can change the shape of an interior line.
Hemingway has now landed as a full-time starter next to veteran Adam Butler, giving Las Vegas a different look inside heading into the 2026 season. For a defense that wants more disruption up front, his rise is one of the more interesting developments on the roster, especially after the way he handled both training camp and the preseason. [Read more 🡒]