If you’re a diehard New York Jets fan, you may know more about Al Blades Jr. (the first Jets sacked) than many other fans know about their offensive linemen. In our desperation for real football, 90-man rosters and training camp or preseason heroes take center stage. Jets X-Factor even rates all 90 players on the roster.
Given this critical perspective, it’s easy to fall into a common trap when it comes time to make cuts. Fans fall so in love with these champions that they assume many other teams are the same. The assumption that a player won’t make the practice squad because of his traits, pedigree, etc. has been proven to be false in most cases.
A perfect example of this is Zack Kuntz. Many Jets fans kept Kuntz in their 53-man roster projections because of his perfect RAS. They were sure another team would sign him. And guess what? There’s a reason Kuntz was selected in the seventh round despite his athleticism. As Jets fans have clearly seen this preseason, he is not a player that can be added to the roster.
Trey Dean was another such player last season. The UDFA safety shined in his preseason performances. Jets fans assumed another team would sign him. They didn’t.
It’s not like teams never get that calculation wrong. The Jets released Jason Pinnock during the final cuts in 2022, likely hoping to sneak him onto the practice squad (though we’ll never know for sure). The Giants nabbed him, securing at least a decent starting safety. In total, seven of the Jets’ roster cuts in 2022 were acquired by other teams, but none of the others were notable.
In 2023, the Cardinals signed offensive lineman Trystan Colon and the Panthers signed linebacker Claudin Cherelus. Although Colon was a good backup, the Jets didn’t seem too disappointed to let him go. Cherelus wasn’t even on the verge of making the roster.
Most of the time, fringe prospects remain fringe prospects. Other teams have their own versions of such players. Yes, some teams have holes they desperately need to fill, but the Jets’ 56th man probably doesn’t fill them.
Therefore, it’s unwise to be so quick to assume that players like Jason Brownlee, Eric Watts, or even Israel Abanikanda wouldn’t make it through waivers. Brownlee and Abanikanda showed nothing on the field in 2023, and Brownlee and Watts didn’t do much in this year’s preseason. Yes, Abanikanda had some good moments in the preseason, but teams were wary of a draft pick whose team had given up on him after one season.
Even Braiden McGregor and Leonard Taylor have a good chance of making it through. Both were UDFAs for a reason. Yes, McGregor got $220,000 guaranteed, but that doesn’t mean he’ll be claimed. Both players performed well in the preseason, but other teams likely have their preseason stars as well. The Jets could keep both to avoid putting them at waiver risk. Still, it’s more of a precautionary measure than anything else.
One could argue that Xavier Newman belongs in that bucket as well. After a subpar performance with the Jets in 2023, there’s no reason for teams to see him as anything other than a practice squad candidate. I believe he’ll be added to the roster because the Jets desperately need another backup offensive player for interior defense, but perhaps they think Max Mitchell can fill that void (incorrectly, in my opinion).
A player like Brandon Codrington could be claimed because of his return abilities, but even he will most likely come off the waivers. Maybe someone will claim him, but I don’t think the Jets will keep him on their roster to avoid that. If they can get him on the practice squad, great. If not, so be it; they’ll go with Xavier Gipson, Malachi Corley and Isaiah Davis. (I might sit here tomorrow and have to cave.)
The bigger point is this: Don’t assume that other teams like Jets players as much as Jets fans do. There are players all over the league with potential that aren’t on the roster yet. They usually end up on someone’s practice squad.
