Tarik Cohen’s retirement opens an opportunity for other New York Jets players
Before his retirement, Tarik Cohen seemed to be on his way to earning a roster spot with the New York Jets. Here are three players who could have a chance to take the spot that Cohen may have filled.
Brandon Codrington, CB
The Jets signed Brandon Codrington as an undrafted free agent out of North Carolina Central. While he’s listed as a cornerback, Codrington’s path to the Jets’ roster would come via special teams.
Codrington was a highly experienced returner in college, returning 69 kickoffs (19.7 average) and 61 punts (12.9). He scored one kickoff return touchdown and three punt return touchdowns.
Cohen’s path to the Jets’ roster was also through special teams, as Cohen is a former All-Pro returner. With Cohen out of the picture, Codrington has a better opportunity to push Xavier Gipson and Malachi Corley in the Jets’ returner competition.
NFL teams will likely need two returners for kickoffs this year. That gives Codrington a wide-open shot to make his case for the roster.
Eric Watts, DE
The Jets signed Eric Watts as a UDFA following the 2023 NFL draft. Throughout his college career, the Connecticut product played 2,249 snaps while recording 24 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.
Watts boasts a large frame for the edge at 6-foot-5 and 275 pounds. He moves well for his size, possessing an 8.31 Relative Athletic Score.
The Jets gave Watts the most guaranteed money among their undrafted free agents ($245,000), which is a signal of how much they like him. He has rewarded their faith in training camp, recording several sacks in team drills.
After a disappointing 2023 season, Micheal Clemons is one of the Jets’ top candidates to be a surprise cut. That opens the door for Watts, who has the ideal build to fill Clemons’ role as the Jets’ run-stuffing edge defender.
Irvin Charles, WR
Irvin Charles made the Jets’ 53-man roster last year, but this year, there are fewer spots up for grabs in the wide receiver room due to the additions of Mike Williams and Malachi Corley.
Charles would play a big role on special teams while essentially being non-existent on the offense. In 12 games last season, Charles played 236 special teams snaps and 43 offensive snaps.
The Jets love what Charles brings to the table on special teams. Last summer, head coach Robert Saleh described Charles as an “absolute wolf” on special teams. Charles quickly showed his talent in the regular season, forcing a fumble on his first punt coverage rep of the season. Charles went on to finish the year with seven tackles and a team-high special teams grade of 90.3 at Pro Football Focus.
With a boatload of players and receivers competing for a spot on the depth chart, the question becomes, would the Jets want to use a valuable roster spot on someone who only plays special teams rather than a more complete player?
