NY Jets elevate two WRs ahead of Week 6 game vs. Broncos

Ahead of their Week 6 clash against the Denver Broncos, the New York Jets announced that they have elevated wide receiver/special teamer Isaiah Williams and wide receiver Brandon Smith from their practice squad.

In the Jets’ 27-21 Week 4 loss to the Miami Dolphins, Isaiah Williams had a nightmare game.

To open the second half, he fielded a kickoff angling toward the sideline that likely would have gone out of bounds to gift the Jets a free 40-yard starting spot. Instead, he brought it out, fumbled, and gave the Dolphins the ball near midfield.

Later, with New York desperate for a spark, Williams called for a fair catch at the Jets’ three-yard line, a costly mistake that buried Justin Fields and the offense with no room to operate.

Following the loss, Williams was released from the team’s roster; however, he was shortly brought back to the practice squad after clearing waivers. The Jets will now elevate him from the practice squad onto the active roster, most likely to serve as one of New York’s returners against Denver.

It is a puzzling choice from head coach Aaron Glenn, who has preached “accountability” since first being introduced as the team’s head coach, and shared after Week 1 that players will not play if they cost the team games. Seeing Williams get another chance is surprising, especially after Xavier Gipson, who had a costly fumble on a kick return in Week 1, was immediately canned for good.

Brandon Smith, 26, spent the 2024 season on the Jets’ practice squad after narrowly missing the 53-man roster despite a strong preseason. He appeared in one NFL game with the Jets last year, playing one offensive snap in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars. In the preseason, Smith caught all five of his targets for 120 yards.

Despite another stellar preseason in 2025, where he led the team in receptions (10) and ranked second in yards (113), Smith’s efforts weren’t deemed worthy of a spot on the team’s 53-man roster.

Squaring off against the 3-2 Broncos, Williams will get a second special teams opportunity, while Smith gets a chance to prove his keep in regular season action.