Who Are Potential Roster Cut Candidates for the Jets?
The NFL 53-man roster deadline is fast approaching. Teams need to figure out what their final depth charts will look like by August 26th, and will be making their final cuts in the coming days. The New York Jets have many players on the roster bubble currently, some being undrafted free agents, hoping to keep their NFL dreams alive, while some are older veterans trying to find a spot to continue playing in the league. Either way, there are some names on the bubble that stand out above the rest.
Malachi Corley, WR
The player who everyone has been talking about the most has been Malachi Corley by a long shot. The former third-round pick has failed to show up at any point during his short career. He was a healthy scratch many times last season and only recorded three catches. Some people thought that he would benefit from the coaching staff change, but that has not materialized this summer. Not only has he continued not to produce, but there are reports coming out that Corley had maturity issues last season, and that was a major reason for him not seeing the field more. Aaron Glenn is trying to change the culture and most likely won’t want to have to deal with a player like that, especially when they aren’t producing. Unfortunately, after just one season, the former day two draft pick is a likely cut-candidate.
Leonard Taylor III, DT
Leonard Taylor may be a very surprising name for many fans. Taylor has been one of the better interior pass rushers for the Jets since being signed as an undrafted free agent in 2024, but the defensive tackle room has suddenly gotten crowded with the emergence of veterans such as Byron Cowart and Jay Tufele in camp. The Jets also just traded for Harrison Phillips from the Vikings, adding even more competition to the room. Frankly, it’d still be a bit of a surprise if the team actually ends up cutting Taylor, as he’s still young and cheap, but it is something worthy of note at the very least.
Brady Cook/Adrian Martinez, QB
The Jets’ third QB spot is wide open, as both Brady Cook and Adrian Martinez had good preseasons and showed the team what they provide as backups. The team could keep them both on the roster if, perchance, Tyrod Taylor starts the year on IR, but Aaron Glenn seems optimistic that he’ll be healthy for Week One. If Tyrod is the backup to start the season, the team will most likely have to decide between either Cook or Martinez. Cook seemed fairly comfortable in the offense throughout the summer, but Martinez provides more physical upside. The Jets are most likely going to give the nod to Martinez due to his having a higher ceiling, but Cook has also been impressive from a pure passing standpoint. The roster spot will go to whatever the Jets coaching staff values more.
