Less than 24 hours after releasing their initial 53-man roster, the Jets added three new players.
Tight end Jelani Woods is the most notable of the three after the Colts released him on Tuesday.
“A huge tight end that’s going to help us as a blocker and as a receiver,” Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said about Woods.
Indianapolis selected Woods in the third round of the 2022 draft out of Virginia. He showed some progress as a rookie after recording 25 receptions for 312 yards and three touchdowns.
However, Woods hasn’t played in a regular-season game in two seasons. He missed the entire 2023 and 2024 seasons due to injuries. Woods first suffered a hamstring injury in 2023, which was followed by a toe injury the next year that required surgery.
After the Colts selected Tyler Warren in April’s draft, Woods became the odd man out in the tight end room. He registered seven receptions for 75 yards during the preseason.
Now, Woods will join a Jets tight end room that consists of rookie Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, and Stone Smartt.
The Jets also claimed two former Chiefs: linebacker Cam Jones and tackle Esa Pole. Jones played in 34 games for the Chiefs during the previous two seasons and recorded 36 tackles, mainly in a backup role.
“Very productive player, very productive,” Glenn said about Jones. “Looking forward to him getting with these linebackers and really making noise on special teams for us.”
Pole initially signed with the Chiefs as an undrafted free agent in May out of Washington State. Glenn sees a lot of potential in the 6-7 left tackle.
“A developmental guy who I think has a lot of tools,” Glenn said. “Looking forward to working with him.”
The Jets haven’t announced their corresponding roster moves since they are now at a 53-man limit with the season beginning next week. But they have started to fill out their 16-man practice squad.
Quarterback Brady Cook, wide receivers Jamaal Pritchett and Quentin Skinner, defensive back Jordan Clark, defensive lineman Eric Watts, and safety Dean Clark were all seen either at Wednesday’s practice or inside the Jets locker room. The team has not announced its full practice squad.
TIPPMANN VS. MYERS ISN’T OVER YET
Since the spring, both Joe Tippmann and Josh Myers have been competing for the starting center spot.
When asked what his plans were for the center spot for Week 1 against the Steelers and moving forward, Glenn declined to answer.
“To play a center,” he said.
Glenn was then asked how he thought the competition played out during the summer.
“It’s still playing out,” Glenn stated.
Tippmann is the incumbent, having started for the Jets in their previous two seasons. In 1,067 snaps last season, Tippmann allowed five sacks and committed four penalties.
Myers also has significant starting experience. The Packers drafted him in the second round out of Ohio State in 2021.
After playing six games as a rookie, Myers started 50 games during the past three seasons, including three postseason games for Green Bay. Myers signed a one-year, $3.5 million deal with the Jets in March. He allowed one sack and committed four penalties in 1,006 snaps last year
Part of the reason Glenn might have refused to answer about the center competition could be due to the status of left guard John Simpson. He wasn’t seen during the media viewing period of practice on both Monday and Wednesday.
Simpson has been dealing with a back injury since training camp, which limited his ability to practice. On Monday, Glenn named the players who are on track to be ready for Week 1, but Simpson was not among them.
The Jets have been treating this week as an extension of training camp leading up to the start of the regular season.
“I mean, we’re working against each other because we have a ton of time to get ready for Pittsburgh,” Glenn said. “We are looking at Pittsburgh, but I want to make sure that we stamp today as really our true last day of true training camp, that we finish it up like we need to.
“I don’t want to miss a day. I don’t want those guys to think, man, we’re jumping to something else when we’re trying to put the stamp on the things that we wanted to create during training camp.”
