Image Credit: (Vincent Carchietta/USA Today Sports)
Written by: Nicholas Mullick Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nicholas-mullick-354076184/
Twitter: @nicholasmullick
The Jets on Tuesday have to make the tough decisions to get the roster from 90 to 85 players. Like I said last year, cutting players is the most difficult part of sports. Not everybody can make the roster and sometimes players are in their last destinations and not making the roster would end their careers in the NFL. But the NFL is a business and tough moves need to be made. The Jets as a result released 4 players and placed 1 player on injured reserve.
Placed on Injured Reserve (IR) - OT Mekhi Becton
This should not come as a surprise at all. Becton suffered a kneecap fracture and a Patella injury. He will not be playing the season and it absolutely sucks. The Jets used a 1st round pick on him in the 2020 NFL Draft and he had a great rookie season, but injuries have completely derailed him. Becton’s long-term future is absolutely in doubt and I wish nothing but the best for Becton in regard to his recovery.
1. WR/KR Rashard Davis
Rashad Davis came into the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017. He signed with the Philadelphia Eagles after the draft and spent two years on that squad. But he was on and off the roster during his time there. He was a part of the Oakland Raiders but again was on and off their roster. Davis was briefly a part of the Kansas City Chiefs roster but was gone in a few months. If Davis’s name sounds familiar he was a 1st overall pick in the XFL Draft by the DC Defenders. Unfortunately, the pandemic hit, and the league canceled the inaugural season. He returned to the NFL by signing with the Tennessee Titans but mainly stayed on the practice squad. Davis signed in the CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders but like with the Titans he mainly stayed on the practice squad. He returned to the NFL as a part of the New York Jets Roster. You know at one point I saw Davis making the roster, after the performance he had against the Eagles, there was no chance he was going to make the roster. He was going to battle as a return man and that fumble pretty much sealed his fate in my opinion.
2. OT Derrick Kelly
Kelly came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but signed with the New Orlean Saints. He mainly played during the pandemic as a replacement option if any player was placed on the Covid-list, but he was not a great blocker. He never was able to improve and was cut during the end of the last preseason. He then got claimed by the New York Giants, but mainly played on the practice squad. He had his third opportunity with the Jets and I got to say, this one did not surprise me one bit. The Jets have plenty of depth at guard and they can’t keep everyone. I honestly barely saw Kelly on the field during their first game against the Eagles. So seeing his name on the 1st list of cuts didn’t shock me.
3. DE/EDGE Tim Ward
Ward came into the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2019 but signed with the Kansas City Chiefs. Ward was mainly a depth piece for the team and did not really impress too much excluding a sack in the Chargers game. He was released on the final cut day in 2021, but the Jets then picked him up. He did play a portion of the season but was often dominated by offensive lineman both in the preseason and regular season. Let's be real there was a 0% chance Ward was making this roster due to how crowded the DE/EDGE position is. He did not do much at all with the Jets and going back to the film against the Eagles, he did not do much excluding two tackles. This cut was not surprising to me at all
4. S Luq Barcoo
Barcoo came into the league as an undrafted free agent and started his career off with the Jacksonville Jaguars in 2020. He did not last the entire preseason as the Jaguars decided to release him. The next day the Arizona Cardinals decided to claim him via waiver but was on the practice squad. He would jump on and off the practice squad a few times in Arizona until the 49ers decided to bring him into their practice squad. The Chiefs during free agency decided to give him a shot and brought him in. But would not last long with the team. Now he had his opportunity with the Jets, and while he was solid on special teams, he just did not perform consistently. He looked lost at times and on defense, his footwork was very sloppy. The Jets tried him at safety as he normally played at cornerback and it just did not work and it was not a shock he was cut.
Anyone losing their job is tough. I wish Rashard Davis, Derrick Kelly, Tim Ward, and Luq Barcoo luck and hopefully they get another opportunity to play in the NFL.