Jabari Zuniga’s New York Jets career continues
After being released by the New York Jets on Wednesday, Jabari Zuniga went unclaimed on waivers and has signed with the Jets’ practice squad, the team announced.
We've signed DE Jabari Zuniga to the practice squad.
— New York Jets (@nyjets) September 2, 2021
Zuniga, 24, was drafted by Joe Douglas and the Jets with the 79th overall pick in the third round of the 2020 NFL draft.
The Florida product played eight games in his rookie season, spending the team’s first seven games on injured reserve due to a quad injury and sitting out of the season finale.
Zuniga struggled mightily to do damage in either phase of the game, recording one pressure and one run stop over 103 defensive snaps. He also had one penalty and one missed tackle.
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Entering the 2021 season, Zuniga had a chance to compete for playing time in an EDGE competition that was wide-open behind Carl Lawson.
Injuries derailed another season for Zuniga as he missed time throughout training camp and the preseason due to a knee injury. Zuniga appeared in only one preseason game and picked up zero pressures, zero run stops, and one missed tackle over 12 defensive snaps.
Thirty-one teams had a chance to claim Zuniga on waivers after he was released, but none decided to bring him in. That allowed the Jets to bring him onto their practice squad, which Douglas told the media he hoped to do if Zuniga cleared waivers.
Douglas said Jabari Zuniga would be back on the Jets practice squad if he clears waivers.
— Al Iannazzone (@Al_Iannazzone) September 1, 2021
Zuniga joins Ronald Blair and Hamilcar Rashed as the three edge rushers on the Jets’ practice squad. Defensive tackle Tanzel Smart rounds out the practice squad’s defensive line talent.
Former Chiefs edge rusher Tim Ward was claimed off of waivers and is set to make the Jets’ active roster in place of Zuniga as the last man on the depth chart.
