The Jets’ secondary depth took another hit, and the response came fast.
With cornerback Mory Bamba set to miss a few weeks because of a knee injury, New York suddenly needed help at the back end of the roster. The issue only got worse with second-round rookie D’Angelo Ponds still working back from a calf strain and Qwan’tez Stiggers not practicing after passing out during a joint practice last week.
So the Jets moved to add two defenders, according to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. Cornerback Keenan Garber is coming in, along with outside linebacker Nate Lynn.
To make room, defensive end Kingsley Jonathan is being waived/injured, while defensive lineman Ben Barten has been waived.
Garber, 26, entered the league as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Vikings after the 2025 NFL draft. Since then, he has bounced through the practice squads of Minnesota, Detroit and Indianapolis without appearing in a regular-season game.
His path to the NFL has taken a while. Garber spent six years at Kansas State, including a redshirt season and an extra year of eligibility tied to COVID. Last season, he was on the field in all 13 games for the Wildcats, starting 12 of them, and finished with 29 tackles, six pass breakups and an interception.
Lynn brings a different kind of intrigue.
The 24-year-old crossed paths with Aaron Glenn in Detroit, where he signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024 while Glenn was the defensive coordinator. He flashed immediately in camp and then backed it up in the preseason opener, piling up a sack, two quarterback hits and two hurries on only 13 pass-rush snaps. That performance earned him an 84.9 pass-rushing grade from Pro Football Focus.
His momentum stalled when he tore a ligament in his shoulder and landed on injured reserve for the rest of the season.
Still, Lynn came back with another strong summer in 2025. He closed the preseason with 10 pressures, eight hurries and a sack across 108 snaps, good for a 90.6 pass-rushing grade from PFF. He didn’t make the roster and later landed on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad.
Neither Garber nor Lynn has played in a regular-season game yet, but both are getting another shot with New York as the Jets head into their final two preseason games.
In Other News...
Jets Projection Sends A Brutal Message About Aaron Glenn And Geno Smith
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Still, the projection comes with a clear warning for anyone expecting this exact regime to be the one that turns the corner. Walders forecast points to New York getting back to the postseason in 2027, and the path there does not run through Glenn as head coach or Smith as quarterback, which leaves the Jets with a future that looks promising in theory but uncertain in terms of who will actually lead it. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Rookie Omar Cooper Jr. Is Giving Fans A Reason To Pause
Isaiah Williams has been one of the more noticeable receivers in Jets training camp, but Omar Cooper Jr. has done enough to keep the conversation going. The rookie has flashed solid play and, just as importantly, a willingness to put in extra work after practice, staying on the field to catch additional passes while the competition at receiver takes shape.
Williams may have the edge for now, but Coopers approach is the kind that can narrow that gap over time. Training camp depth charts are fluid, and for a rookie trying to carve out a role, the combination of steady reps and visible dedication can matter as much as any single highlight. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Rookie D'Angelo Ponds Suddenly Has A Concerning Camp Problem
DAngelo Ponds entered camp with real buzz as a rookie cornerback the Jets expected to watch closely, but the early months of his pro career have been slowed by a calf injury that has kept him out of most of training camp and the preseason opener. For a young defensive back trying to build momentum in a crowded summer competition, every missed practice matters, especially when the team is trying to sort out who can be trusted on the back end.
The encouraging part for New York is that there has been no indication Ponds is headed to injured reserve, so the door remains open for him to get back into the mix before the regular season arrives. Still, the lack of a timetable leaves his status in a frustrating holding pattern, and it has already taken some shine off a player who was once viewed much more favorably in rookie evaluations. [Read more 🡒]