New York Jets tight end Jeremy Ruckert (89) gestures to the crowd in the second half. The Jets defeat the Bills in overtime, 22-16, in the home opener at MetLife Stadium on Monday, Sept. 11, 2023, in East Rutherford.
The Jets did a good job in Free Agency of adding solid veteran depth on both sides of the ball, especially WR (Reynolds, Johnson), DT (Cowart, Nnadi, Tufele), and OL (Myers, Okorafor). The NY Jets Roster still has plenty of room for improvement.
Regardless of Free Agency, they could go in any direction in the 1st 4 rounds. But in the late rounds and undrafted free agents, they may be looking for depth at certain positions. Where could a late-rounder or UDFA have a reasonable shot at making the Jets roster in 2025? Including the active roster and practice squad, these might be the Top 5 positions:
Jeremy Ruckert and Free Agent Signee Stone Smartt are safe. Even IF the Jets pick a TE near the top of the draft, that would STILL leave an opening for a low-round pick or UDFA to battle with Zack Kuntz and Neal Johnson for a place on the practice squad
Sherwood and Williams are a good starting duo, but there’s a lot of room for depth behind them. Will Zaire Barnes stay healthy? Will Chazz Surratt or Sam Equaveon be back? The Jets will almost certainly select a LB in the upcoming draft, but there will still be plenty of opportunity for a UDFA to battle Jackson Sirmon or Jamin Davis for a spot on the PS, at the very least.
Tony Adams and Isaiah Oliver will be joined by free agent Andre Cisco to form a decent group. A late rounder/UDFA would battle Jarius Monroe for a spot on the roster and would be a prime target for the PS, even if Chuck Clark and/or Jalen Mills are re-signed.
In an under-the-radar move, the Jets signed veteran fullback Andrew Beck in the offseason. If the team is moving to a more run-heavy offense, you probably need a fullback or at least an H Back. If the Jets keep a fullback on the active roster, they might bring in a younger FB/H back to compete or place on the practice squad – those are often preferred UDFAs.
Jermaine Johnson is coming off an injury, Will McDonald is not really an “edge” in the classic sense. Braiden McGregor showed promise, Eric Watts might be used more at Edge in the new system. The Jets signed Rashad Weaver in free agency. So, there are pieces to work with, and you aren’t going to find a superstar edge in the late rounds or UDFA, but there will be an opportunity for someone to come in and provide depth and competition – if the stars align, they could make the team.