The Jets just took another hit up front, and this one could open the door for a preseason name fans already know well.
Braiden McGregor’s season is over after ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday morning that he tore his pec and will be put on ice for the remainder of 2026. The injury comes after McGregor had quietly carved out a useful role for himself, even after being one of the more surprising players to survive New York’s final roster cuts in late August.
With injuries thinning out the edge group, McGregor had seen more work than anyone might have expected. He logged 49 defensive snaps, which came out to 18 percent, and 46 special teams snaps, or 45 percent. That usage now leaves a vacancy in the Jets’ rotation, and the most obvious candidate is already sitting on the practice squad: Nate Lynn.
Lynn was one of the bright spots of the summer and turned heads in the preseason with a burst that made him feel like more than just another camp body. If the Jets are looking for a spark, he’s the guy who has been waiting for this exact opening.
His path to this point has been a winding one. Lynn joined New York’s 90-man roster relatively late in the offseason after spending 2024 with the Detroit Lions during Aaron Glenn’s final season as defensive coordinator. He also spent much of the 2025 season on the Tennessee Titans’ practice squad before Tennessee cut him loose once Robert Saleh arrived.
The William & Mary product got his shot with the Jets in mid-August, then made the most of it in the team’s final two preseason games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants. He finished those games with three sacks and eight total tackles, production that made him a favorite heading into roster cuts.
New York still waived him, but brought him back on the practice squad, where he has started the 2026 season. Now, with McGregor headed to injured reserve, Lynn may finally get his first real NFL opportunity.
The Jets need it. Their pass rush has gone quiet for weeks, and the edge group could use some life. Lynn’s preseason tape suggests he can bring some of that juice, even if translating it against NFL starters is a different challenge altogether.
Still, at this point, New York needs to try something. And Nate Lynn looks like the next man up.
In Other News...
Jets May Finally Get WR Help But One Question Still Looms
The Jets receiver room may be getting a little healthier soon, which comes as welcome news for an offense that has had to navigate injuries to key pass-catchers. Tim Patrick has now completed the required four-game absence and is eligible to return to practice, giving the team at least a chance to add some experienced help back into the mix after a stretch of uncertainty.
Omar Cooper Jr. is still a longer wait, since he remains on injured reserve and has to sit out at least one more game before his practice window can open. So while the roster picture is beginning to brighten at receiver, the bigger question for the Jets is how quickly that help can actually show up on the field, and whether Patrick will be ready to contribute right away once he ramps up. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Opponent Suddenly Has A Quarterback Issue To Sort Out
The Browns have opened the clock on a pair of injured-reserve returns, designating quarterback Dillon Gabriel and defensive tackle Kalia Davis to come back to practice. Cleveland now has 21 days to decide whether either player gets activated to the active roster, a timeline that adds another layer to a quarterback room already worth watching from afar.
Gabriels return is the more interesting subplot for Jets watchers because it forces Cleveland to sort out where he fits behind Deshaun Watson and backup Shedeur Sanders. Even before the Browns make a decision, the move hints at more quarterback evaluation work ahead, and any shuffle there is the kind of thing opponents keep an eye on as they prepare for a game plan. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Fans Just Got An Uncomfortable New QB Option
The Jets quarterback picture already has a few moving parts, and now another one has been dropped into the mix. NFL analyst Kristopher Knox of Bleacher Report recently floated New York as a possible trade destination for San Francisco backup Mac Jones, putting a concrete price on the idea with a conditional 2027 second-round pick.
Jones has already bounced from the Patriots to the Jaguars to the 49ers, and he is currently sitting behind Brock Purdy in San Francisco. For the Jets, it is another reminder that the search for insulation behind Geno Smith is not necessarily finished, even with rookie Cade Klubnik in the building after being drafted in 2026 and getting preseason reps. [Read more 🡒]