With plenty of holes on their roster, the New York Jets could likely find multiple upgrades on the waiver wire once final cuts are made around the NFL.
Here are three potential cut candidates they should prioritize if available.
Jaguars EDGE B.J. Green
The Jets desperately need depth on the edge. This position is arguably their top priority over the next few days.
Undrafted rookie B.J. Green could be one of the best edge rushers available.
The Colorado product is coming off a dominant three-game preseason run for Jacksonville. Across 43 pass-rush reps, he recorded a pass-rush win rate of 23.7%, ranking fifth-best among 83 qualifiers at the position (min. 40 pass-rush opportunities).
Green, who stands at a burly 6-foot-1 and 270 pounds, is an Aaron Glenn type of defensive end. His lack of bend around the edge is the primary knock that caused him to go undrafted, but his motor, size, and power still allowed him to pick up 7.5 sacks and 43 total pressures for the Buffaloes in 2024.
Glenn covets those traits in his edge rushers, as evidenced by his affinity for Micheal Clemons and his usage of players like John Cominsky and Levi Onwuzurike in Detroit.
While Green’s NFL ceiling is likely limited, he has the traits to immediately fit into Glenn’s vision and provide an upgrade over the Jets’ other backups – all while being just 22 years old.
The Jets are among the teams that met with Green at the Hula Bowl in January.
ESPN’s Jaguars reporter, Michael DiRocco, did not include Green in his recent 53-man roster prediction.
Bears EDGE Daniel Hardy
If the Jets prefer to add a speed rusher to their edge room, they could look toward someone like Chicago’s Daniel Hardy.
Like Green, Hardy had an excellent preseason as a pass rusher. His 22.7% pass-rush win rate placed four spots behind Green, ranking ninth out of 83 qualifiers.
A 2022 sixth-round pick of the Rams, Hardy boasted a 9.37 Relative Athletic Score coming out of Montana State, highlighted by his explosiveness metrics: a 40-inch vertical, 127-inch broad jump, and 1.57 ten-yard split. At 6-foot-2 and 255 pounds, he fits the mold of a rotational speed rusher, something New York currently lacks behind Will McDonald.
It is the second consecutive standout preseason for Hardy, who had four sacks for Chicago in last year’s exhibition run. That landed Hardy a spot on the 53-man roster, where he carved out a critical role on special teams, leading the team with 370 special teams snaps across 17 games. Hardy tied for 14th in the league with 11 special teams tackles.
Hardy did not receive much of a chance on defense, playing only 31 snaps. However, after racking up 22 total pressures on 113 pass-rush snaps (19.5% pressure rate) across the last two preseasons, he could have some untapped potential as a defender. At the very least, though, he is a known positive on special teams.
Offering second-team pass-rush speed that New York lacks and the versatility to be a stud on special teams, Hardy is an intriguing back-end roster piece.
Hardy did not appear in the recent 53-man roster prediction of ESPN’s Bears reporter, Courtney Cronin.
Chargers TE Tucker Fisk
New York is desperate for any sort of production at the tight end position outside of second-round rookie Mason Taylor. When your second-best player at the spot is Jeremy Ruckert, you’re in dire straits.
Tucker Fisk had a strong preseason as a blocker for the Chargers. Across four preseason games, Fisk logged 62 run-blocking snaps, third-most among tight ends, and he maintained consistency over that relatively large sample, finishing with an 80.4 run-blocking grade at Pro Football Focus. It ranked third-best among 52 qualified tight ends (min. 30 run-blocking snaps).
Compare that to the run-blocking grades of New York’s tight ends. Outside of Taylor’s 62.2, every other Jets tight end had a run-blocking grade below 57, with projected TE2 Ruckert placing last among the group at 51.4.
It would be gravy if the Jets could find a second tight end with pass-catching chops, but at the very least, they need someone who can block. Tight end blocking will be critical in this offense.
Fisk has very limited receiving skills, but he can give the Jets a second blocker at tight end who would help keep the run game chugging. A former defensive tackle at Stanford, Fisk boasts an imposing frame at 6-foot-4 and 285 pounds.
The 26-year-old carries a reliable blocking track record in the regular season, too. Across nine games (five starts) for the Chargers in 2024, Fisk had a 65.1 run-blocking grade, tying Dalton Kincaid for 14th-best among 85 qualified tight ends (min. 100 run-blocking snaps).
ESPN’s Chargers reporter, Kris Rhim, did not include Fisk in his recent 53-man roster prediction.