The New York Jets’ 53-man roster may already be on the books, but that doesn’t mean the group is locked in. Once waiver claims start rolling in, someone has to move off the active roster to make space.
If the Jets decide to use the waiver wire to patch a couple of soft spots, a few names stand out as the easiest to bump temporarily.
Andrew Beck is one of them. The Jets were right to keep him in the first place, since he brings real value as a blocker and on special teams, and he also caught two touchdown passes in 2025, tied for the second-most on the team.
But Beck’s NFL experience changes the equation. Because he has more than four seasons in the league, he’s a vested veteran, which means the Jets could release him without exposing him to waivers and then bring him back to the practice squad if needed.
That gives the team flexibility, and it also means Beck could still be elevated from the practice squad for three games before he’d need to be signed to the 53-man roster. He could easily end up as a temporary roster move while the Jets sort out the rest of their waiver business.
Tim Patrick fits that same category. He’s also a vested veteran, which makes him a logical short-term release if the Jets need room.
Among New York’s six receivers, Patrick would be the simplest to move off the active roster for a bit, and there’s far less risk in doing that with him than with Arian Smith, even if Patrick may be sitting ahead of the former fourth-round pick on the depth chart. The expectation is that not many teams would be lining up to add Patrick to their own 53-man roster, so if both sides agree to a practice squad placeholder arrangement, he could be back in the building quickly.
For now, he would still serve as the mentor in the Jets’ wide receiver room.
Kohl Levao is the other name to watch, and his case is different. His spot on the initial roster was one of the more surprising decisions the Jets made, especially with Marquis Hayes having stood out all preseason.
Even after the trade for Jordan Meredith, New York could still be searching for more help on the offensive line, and another established addition would make sense. If that happens, Levao is the most obvious player to lose his place.
Unlike Beck and Patrick, he is not a vested veteran, so he would have to clear waivers before the Jets could bring him back to the practice squad. Even so, it would be hard to picture another team jumping in to sign him to a 53-man roster before he gets through the process.
Making the initial roster was a solid moment for Levao, but it may not be enough to keep him there if the Jets add another offensive lineman.
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