The New York Jets trimmed their roster to the league-mandated 53 players Tuesday, meeting the NFL’s cutdown deadline. Yet, the roster shuffle is far from over.
With the waiver period opening immediately after final cuts, teams are already reshaping depth charts and assembling practice squads. These moves can be just as impactful as the initial roster decisions.
The Jets wasted little time, successfully claiming tight end Jelani Woods, offensive tackle Esa Pole, and linebacker Cam Jones.
TE Jelani Woods
After being released by the Indianapolis Colts on Tuesday, tight end Jelani Woods drew considerable interest across the league, with the New York Jets emerging as one of the most aggressive suitors, according to sources.
By Wednesday afternoon, sources confirmed that New York had claimed Woods, bringing the former third-round pick to Florham Park, NJ.
Woods, 26, was selected by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round of the 2022 NFL draft out of Virginia.
Throughout his four collegiate seasons, three of which were spent with Oklahoma State, Woods racked up 959 receiving yards with 12 touchdowns on 75 receptions throughout 45 games.
With high aspirations, Woods enjoyed a moderate rookie campaign, posting 312 yards and three touchdowns on 25 receptions in 15 games (two starts).
Since then, he has been plagued by injuries.
A pair of hamstring setbacks in 2023 OTAs sidelined him before he could establish momentum, and a turf toe injury that required surgery wiped out his entire 2024 campaign. During that span, Indianapolis finished last in the NFL in tight end receiving production.
The Colts reset the position this spring by drafting Penn State standout Tyler Warren at No. 14 overall, and Woods’ three catches for 75 yards in the preseason were not enough for him to secure a roster spot.
There are reasons to be concerned with his health; he has not played in a regular-season game since 2022, but his athleticism is unmatched.
Standing 6-foot-7, Woods posted a perfect 10.0 RAS (Relative Athletic Score) at the NFL Scouting Combine, marking the highest clip for a tight end in combine history.
His blocking has been inconsistent, but not a liability. Woods earned a 57.7 run-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus across 33 run-blocking reps this preseason, a mark that outpaced current Jets backup tight ends Stone Smartt (56.2) and Jeremy Ruckert (51.4).
For a Jets team still searching for stability at tight end, Woods’ rare athletic profile and upside were too enticing for Gang Green to ignore.
OT Esa Pole
Sam McDowell of The Kansas City Star first reported the Jets’ claim of Pole.
Pole’s path to football was anything but conventional. A standout basketball player at Mt. Eden High School in Hayward, CA., Pole didn’t put on pads until enrolling at Chabot College, a junior college in his home state.
Despite being new to the sport, he quickly emerged as a force on the offensive line. Pole started two seasons at Chabot, earning unanimous All-Conference honors and a spot on the All-Region 1 first team before transferring to Washington State.
With the Cougars, Pole developed into a reliable starter. He opened eight games at left tackle in 2023 and followed with a breakout senior campaign, starting all 13 contests without surrendering a sack. Pro Football Focus awarded him an 85.8 pass-blocking grade, and his performance earned him an invitation to the 2025 East-West Shrine Bowl.
Pole impressed in preseason action, earning an 84.1 pass-blocking grade from Pro Football Focus and holding opponents without a single pressure on 49 snaps.
His arrival puts added pressure on New York’s offensive line depth. Veterans Max Mitchell and Chukwuma Okorafor now face stiffer competition for backup roles. At the same time, guard Marquis Hayes, a surprise inclusion on the initial 53-man roster, could also see his spot in jeopardy.
LB Cam Jones
Cam Jones, who entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2023, carved out a role in Kansas City over the past two seasons.
The linebacker played in all 34 regular-season games, contributing heavily on special teams and logging more than 80 defensive snaps in each campaign.
He was a three-year starter at Indiana, twice earning honorable mention All-Big Ten recognition. He projects as a fixture on special teams with the Jets while vying for snaps as a rotational linebacker.
Jones was one of the league’s top special-teamers last season, finishing with a 90.0 mark that ranked sixth in the NFL.
Jones’ arrival could spell trouble for Zaire Barnes as he unexpectedly earned a spot on the team’s initial 53-man roster. Jones brings a similar blend of tools as a primary special teamer and rotational linebacker.
