The Jets have decided on the 53 players who they wanted to keep around after more than a month of training camp and preseason football.
But with 11 days to go before the season opener against the Steelers, there’s still time to make some meaningful moves. And there might be some to make after 31 other teams trimmed their roster from 90 to to 53 over the past few days.
We’ve already seen that the new regime, led by GM Darren Mougey and coach Aaron Glenn, will be aggressive to fill a weakness: they proved it last week by trading for Vikings defensive tackle Harrison Phillips.
The Jets are still thin at several positions, most notably tight end and wide receiver. So could more moves be in the offing?
It seems more likely than not.
So here is what you need to know about the waiver process and how the Jets can add recently cut players in the coming days.
How it works
∗ Roster cuts (that aren’t injury related) fall into two basic categories: players who were waived, and players who were released. Players with more than four seasons of service time (vested veterans) fall are released, and immediately become free agents – available to sign wherever (including with the team that cut them) and whenever they reach an agreement. Players with less than four years of service time must pass through waivers before hitting free agency.
∗ If only one team claims a player, that’s it. They are awarded the claim. But if multiple teams claim the same player, the claim goes to the team with the highest waiver priority – the order is set by record. And until mid-September, it goes off last year’s record. The Jets sit No. 7 in the claim order, behind the Titans, Browns, Giants, Patriots, Jaguars, and Raiders – meaning they’ll only be awarded a player via waiver claim if none of those teams also claimed the same player.
∗ For cutdown day specifically: teams have until noon Wednesday to put in a claim for any player waived on Tuesday by another team. If a team is awarded a player via waiver claim they must add him directly to the 53-man roster, which means they must clear a roster spot for every player they are awarded, which is why it’s a tool that is best used carefully.
Who the Jets should target
WR Trey Palmer, Bucs: He was a surprise cut in a deep Bucs receiver room, likely a consequence of a hamstring injury that kept him out of the first two preseason games. But he showed big upside as a rookie, with 39 catches for 385 yards and three touchdowns, (and showed he’s not afraid of th spotlight with a long, first-quarter touchdown in his playoff debut, a win over the Eagles). He’d immediately be one of the better receivers in the Jets room, he’s only 24, and after a quiet sophomore season and a post-training camp pink slip, the 2023 sixth-round pick wouldn’t have to search for motivation.
WR Michael Gallup, Commanders: Gallup hasn’t been the same since his already injury riddled 2021 season ended with a torn ACL in Week 17. And he hasn’t played in a game since the 2023 season, after retiring a day before Raiders camp last year. Gallup picked a tough spot to resume his career, and failed to make the cut in a deep Commanders wide receiver room. But he’s only 29, was still quite productive and efficient even after the injuries (he’s never finished with fewer than 34 catches and 400 yards), and could have upside after letting the body and mind heal last year. Plus, he’d likely challenge immediately for a role in the Jets’ room, which could be appealing to Gallup, a vested veteran who will get to choose his next team.
TE Greg Dulcich, Giants: The 2022 third-round pick looked ready for the NFL with 33 catches for 411 yards and two touchdowns for the Broncos as rookie. But he hasn’t had more than five catches in a season since (hamstring injuries tanked his second year, and he never regained his role). Dulcich showed big signs of promise in camp and the preseason, looking healthy and leading the NFL with three touchdown catches. And with the Jets lack of depth behind rookie Mason Taylor, the 25-year-old could be a high-upside addition if he clears waivers.
TE Quintin Morris, Jaguars: The Jets love tight ends who know how to block, and they didn’t get that consistently in the preseason. Morris established himself as one of the league’s best blocking tight ends in three seasons with Buffalo before he fell short of making the Jags 53-man roster this year. The 26-year-old is now on the waiver wire, and could be a great fit in a run-first offense that needs reliable blockers.
S Tony Jefferson, Chargers: He has been a reliably solid starter since he entered the league in 2013 as an undrafted free agent. And last year with the Chargers, the 33-year-old proved nothing has changed, returning from retirement (he spent 2023 in the Ravens scouting department) and climbing his way from the practice squad to a starter on a playoff team. He’d give the Jets some much-needed reliability at safety and immediately be in the mix for a role, and he’d get a chance to help shape rookie Malachi Moore, who the Jets have high hopes for.
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Andy Vasquez may be reached atavasquez@njadvancemedia.com.
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