As the NFL’s roster cutdown deadline hits 6 p.m. EST this evening, the Jets have a couple of players who could draw real interest instead of simply being let go.
That’s the nature of this part of the calendar. Teams are hunting for last-minute help, and even players on the bubble can suddenly carry value if another club thinks they can patch a hole before Week 1.
New York has seen this work before, too. One year ago, the Jets moved 29-year-old nose tackle Derrick Nnadi, who looked headed for a cut, to the Kansas City Chiefs for a conditional 2027 pick swap that shifted the team from a seventh-rounder to a sixth-rounder.
A similar opportunity could exist now with wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett. The 2025 undrafted free agent has put together two straight strong preseasons as a returner, and over 12 punt returns the last two years he’s averaged 12.4 yards per runback. He’s also shown some real juice as a receiver, forcing six missed tackles on only 10 catches.
The problem for Pritchett is that the Jets already appear set at returner with Isaiah Williams and Kene Nwangwu, both of whom received All-Pro votes last season. That makes a roster spot look unlikely.
Rather than cutting him outright, New York could try to swing a deal similar to the Brandon Codrington move two years ago, when the Jets sent the preseason standout returner to the Buffalo Bills for a 2026 pick swap. That pick later helped the Jets land Geno Smith, who is set to be their Week 1 starting quarterback this season.
Pritchett’s situation has only added to the intrigue because he didn’t appear in either of the Jets’ last two preseason games, and there has been no injury report or explanation for why he was held out. It may mean nothing. Or it may mean the Jets were keeping him under wraps for a possible trade.
Another name to watch is cornerback Qwan’tez Stiggers. The back end of New York’s corner room has gotten crowded fast, with Jordan Clark, Samuel Womack III, and Tre Brown all making things complicated.
Stiggers, now in his third year, has mostly made his mark on special teams, while his defensive work hasn’t matched that impact. He also missed the first two preseason games with a concussion.
In his absence, others stepped up. Clark impressed in the slot, while Womack and Brown brought the kind of defensive experience Stiggers and Clark can’t match, with Womack appearing in 46 games with 11 starts and Brown in 49 games with 14 starts. Both also played well this preseason.
If the Jets decide one of those players belongs on the roster ahead of Stiggers, the former CFL star could still have a market. Last season, he was a strong special teams contributor, playing 287 snaps across five of the six special teams units, making seven tackles, and earning a 70.4 special teams grade from Pro Football Focus.
In Other News...
Jets Just Moved On From A Former First-Round Bet
Roster cutdown day brought another notable change to the Jets defensive front, with the team releasing defensive tackle Mazi Smith as it trimmed down to the 53-player limit. Smith, acquired in a trade from the Dallas Cowboys, had been a low-risk swing for New York after he saw action in three games last season, but the fit never fully developed as the roster and scheme evolved.
Smiths exit fits the broader direction of the Jets personnel moves, which have included a push to reshape the front seven around a new 3-4 look. New York also parted ways with quarterback Bailey Zappe as part of the final roster decisions, and the emphasis now is clearly on getting the right bodies in place up front before the regular season opens. [Read more 🡒]
Will McDonald Just Flipped An Old Jets Draft Joke
Broderick Jones once looked like one of those draft-night what-ifs that can linger for years, the kind of pick Jets fans know all too well. He was taken by the Steelers and later moved on to the Cowboys after failing to crack Pittsburghs 53-man roster, a reminder of how quickly a first-round story can turn once the league starts sorting out who can actually stick.
Will McDonald has helped flip that familiar Jets joke in the opposite direction. Drafted by New York, he has turned into a real part of the pass rush with 18.5 sacks over his first two seasons, giving the Jets a player who is not just surviving the draft conversation but changing it. It also adds another layer to an already curious draft comparison, since both teams passed on other notable names while their own choices headed very different directions. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Make Another Quinnen Williams Trade Ripple On Defensive Line
The Quinnen Williams trade keeps sending little shocks through the Jets defensive front, and the latest came with the release of Mazi Smith. Smith was part of the package that went to New York in the deal with Dallas, and his short run with the Jets never really got much traction. He played in eight games last season, including three in green and white, and finished with three combined tackles.
His exit leaves the depth chart looking a little clearer for now. Harrison Phillips is expected to settle in as the starting defensive tackle, with TVondre Sweat in line at nose tackle and rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. behind them as a backup. It is the kind of reshuffling that comes with a major trade, and for the Jets it is another reminder that the ripple effects on the defensive line are still being felt. [Read more 🡒]