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The New York Jets Players in the Most Danger of Being Cut
0 Share Newsweek is a Trust Project member See more of our trusted coverage when you search. Prefer Newsweek on Google to see more of our trusted coverage when you search. Training camp is officially underway for several NFL teams while others will be easing into camp throughout the next week.
The Arizona Cardinals and Carolina Panthers kick off the 2026 preseason with their Hall of Fame Game clash on Thursday, Aug. 6 on NBC, and Week 1 of the preseason officially kicks off the following week on Aug. 13.
As we count down the days until the start of the NFL regular season — which kicks off with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots on “Sunday Night Football” on Sept. 9 — we continue to look at key offseason storylines for each of the league’s 32 teams.
This week, we’re looking as the players most in danger of being cut during the preseason, and we’ve arrived at the New York Jets .
Had the Jets not drafted Cade Klubnik in April’s draft, Zappe might break camp as the QB2 in New York. But with Klubnik in the mix and 24-year-old Brady Cook lurking as well, Zappe may be out of a job in a few weeks.
Cook had a rough showing last year, passing for just 739 yards with two touchdowns and seven interceptions, but he’s still young enough he could be developed into a solid backup. Zappe, 27, has been around for a while and most would agree he is who he is at this point. It seems unlikely he will be on New York’s roster beyond the preseason.
The Jets added one of the more explosive weapons in the 2026 draft when they drafted Oregon tight end Kenyon Sadiq in Round 1. Sadiq is a real threat to start from Day 1, and with Mason Taylor and Jelani Woods also on the roster, things just got more difficult for Jeremy Ruckert to keep his job.
Taylor was New York’s second-leading receiver last year (44 catches, 369 yards, one touchdown) behind Garrett Wilson, and he’s a lock to make the 53-man roster. Woods is less likely, but given his size (6-foot-7, 253 pounds) he presents different matchup problems that no one else does. Rucker could end up being the odd man out here.
Smith came over from Dallas in the Quinnen Williams trade last November, but he was more of a throw-in with the first- and second-round picks the team acquired. But he’s only 25, and at 6-foot-3 and 327 pounds, he’s a big body who can plug running lanes and make things difficult for opposing offensive linemen.
The problem is the Jets also acquired former second-round DT T’Vondre Sweat from the Titans earlier in the offseason, and with David Onyemata, Jowon Briggs, Jack Heflin, Darrell Jackson Jr., Payton Page, and Harrison Phillips, Smith has his work cut out trying to carve out a role for himself.
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