The New York Jets have officially announced their initial 53-man roster for the 2026 season.
All 32 teams were required to submit their rosters to the NFL’s league office before 6 p.m. ET on Sunday.
Now, Gang Green has released its roster to the public, and here are the details…
Initial 53-man roster (currently at 52)
- QB: Geno Smith, Cade Klubnik
- RB: Breece Hall, Braelon Allen, Isaiah Davis, Kene Nwangwu
- FB: Andrew Beck
- WR: Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, Isaiah Williams, Omar Cooper Jr., Tim Patrick, Arian Smith
- TE: Mason Taylor, Jeremy Ruckert, Kenyon Sadiq, Jelani Woods
- OL: Olu Fashanu, Armand Membou, Joe Tippmann, Josh Myers, Dylan Parham, Chukwuma Okorafor, Max Mitchell, Kohl Levao
- EDGE: Joseph Ossai, Kingsley Enagbare, Will McDonald, David Bailey, Braiden McGregor
- DT: Harrison Phillips, David Onyemata, Jowon Briggs, T’Vondre Sweat, Darrell Jackson Jr.
- LB: Demario Davis, Jamien Sherwood, Kiko Mauigoa, Marcelino McCrary-Ball
- CB: Brandon Stephens, Azareye’h Thomas, Jarvis Brownlee Jr., Qwan’tez Stiggers, Nahshon Wright, D’Angelo Ponds
- S: Minkah Fitzpatrick, Dane Belton, Andre Cisco, Malachi Moore
- ST: Austin McNamara, Jason Sanders, Thomas Hennessy
At first, it didn’t look like Andrew Beck was going to make the team’s roster, especially after Jelani Woods’ emergence. However, the team is making it work with four tight ends, four running backs, and a fullback.
At wide receiver, Arian Smith’s summer arguably didn’t warrant a roster spot. It is also surprising given that he played deep into the fourth quarter of New York’s preseason finale.
It appears the team gave him a roster spot largely because he was a fourth-round pick a year ago.
On the offensive line, Kohl Levao over Marquis Hayes, who played very well throughout the preseason, is an interesting choice. The Jets have eight offensive linemen on the roster, but that won’t remain the case for long.
The Jordan Meredith trade, once it’s processed, will increase the number of Steve Heiden’s group, indicating the team plans to roll with nine big heavies to open the season.
Defensively, going Braiden McGregor over Nate Lynn is also of note. Lynn, 24, outplayed McGregor this preseason as he led the team in pressures (six) and sacks (three), despite signing just three days before the team’s second preseason game
Injury-wise, the Jets placed Tre Brown, Chip Trayanum, and Mykal Walker on injured reserve, meaning they will not count towards the team’s 53-man roster but are expected to miss the entire season.
Tyler Baron was placed on the PUP list, meaning he is forced to miss a minimum of four games before being activated.
Rookies Anez Cooper and VJ Payne, on the other hand, occupy the team’s two short-term IR spots, meaning they also don’t count towards the 53-man roster, but the Jets can open a practice window when the player is healthy enough to return.
While the Jets currently have just Cade Klubnik on their roster at quarterback behind Geno Smith and Jason Sanders as the lone kicker, that can change.
The initial 53-man roster is in, but that doesn’t mean the roster transactions are over. Waiver claims across the league won’t be processed until tomorrow at 1:00 p.m. ET.
