The Jets are heading into cutdown day with a roster picture that’s getting clearer by the minute, even after Friday night’s preseason finale against the Giants.
New York has until 6 PM Eastern Time on Sunday evening to lock in its 53-man roster, and the last exhibition game only sharpened the choices. With several starters sitting, the spotlight fell on the players trying to squeeze onto the back end of the roster.
At quarterback, the path looks murky for both Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe. Neither one did enough over the preseason to force the issue, which leaves the Jets likely to try to keep one around on the practice squad or explore other options once the league’s cutdowns begin.
The backfield is much easier to map out. Breece Hall sits at the center of it after his extension, with Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis lined up to handle the complementary work. Kene Nwangwu rounds out the group as a dangerous kick returner when healthy.
Wide receiver is also mostly settled. Garrett Wilson leads the way, and the rest of the group projects as Adonai Mitchell, Omar Cooper Jr., Isaiah Williams, Tim Patrick and Arian Smith. Smith appears to be the likely WR6 despite some uneven moments, largely because the Jets used a fourth-round pick on him in the 2025 NFL Draft and he can help on special teams.
Tight end is one of the more interesting strengths on the roster. Kenyon Sadiq and Mason Taylor give the Jets a pair they hope can grow into something special, Jeremy Ruckert fits as the third option, and Jelani Woods brings the kind of size and athletic profile that offensive coordinator Frank Reich can work with.
Up front, the starting five looks strong, but the depth is still shaky. Olu Fashanu, Dylan Parham, Josh Myers, Joe Tippmann and Armand Membou headline the unit, with Max Mitchell, Chukwuma Okorafor, Anez Cooper and Xavier Newman filling out the projection. Cooper has had an uneven summer, and Newman’s ability to play both guard and center helps his case, though the Jets could still search for a veteran who gets released elsewhere.
The defensive line has a very different feel than it used to. T'Vondre Sweat, Jowon Briggs, Harrison Phillips and David Onyemata give New York four quality starters in the mix, while Darrell Jackson Jr. stands out as a rookie who kept making a case for himself during camp.
The pass rush group brings variety, with David Bailey and Will McDonald serving as the specialists and Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare handling the edge-setting work. Nate Lynn also cracks the roster after two strong preseason performances that made him hard to ignore.
Linebacker looks like the thinnest spot on the team. Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood anchor the unit, with Kiko Mauigoa and Marcelino McCrary-Ball projected to join them. The concern is obvious if Davis has to miss time, while Mauigoa’s rookie growing pains and McCrary-Ball’s special teams role leave little margin for error.
Cornerback appears deeper. Brandon Stephens and Azareye'h Thomas are projected to lead the group, and Thomas sitting out the preseason finale hinted that his starting job opposite Stephens is secure. D'Angelo Ponds, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Nahshon Wright and Qwan'tez Stiggers round out the room, with Wright offering useful backup depth on the boundary and Stiggers standing out on special teams in 2025.
Safety is where the projection gets a little more aggressive. It would not be a surprise to see five safeties make the roster if Aaron Glenn leans into some three-safety packages for the new-look defense in 2026. Malachi Moore is the name that stands out as a possible cut, but the Jets’ fourth-round investment in him last year makes him feel like a safer bet than the numbers might suggest.
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 🡒]