Jets Claim 4 Off Waivers, Cut Robinson And McDougle
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) — The New York Jets are heading into the first week of the regular season with four tight ends, four quarterbacks — and a handful of new faces.
A day after setting its initial 53-man roster, the team claimed four players off waivers on Sunday, including tight ends Braedon Bowman from Jacksonville and Brian Parker from Kansas City, running back Troymaine Pope from Seattle and cornerback Darryl Roberts from New England.
The Jets also have veterans Kellen Davis and Brandon Bostick at the tight end spot, so it remains to be seen if all four make it to opening day. New York waived Jace Amaro and Zach Sudfeld on Saturday.
To make room for the waiver claims, the Jets waived/injured running back Khiry Robinson, who was hurt in the preseason finale last Thursday in Philadelphia. They also waived cornerback Dexter McDougle, a third-round draft pick in 2014 who has been beset by injuries; safety Ronald Martin; and running back Dominique Williams.
Despite all the moves, the Jets made the unconventional move of keeping all four of their quarterbacks: Ryan Fitzpatrick, Geno Smith, Bryce Petty and second-round pick Christian Hackenberg.
It appeared Petty, entering his second season, could be a candidate for injured reserve — and resolve the glut of quarterbacks on the active roster — after bruising his right shoulder against the Eagles. Instead, the Jets chose to keep Petty, a fourth-rounder last year who had a solid preseason.
Bowman was signed by the Jaguars in May as an undrafted free agent out of South Alabama. He had three catches for 32 yards this preseason for Jacksonville.
Parker had one catch for 6 yards in nine games for the Chiefs last season. He was signed by San Diego as an undrafted free agent out of the University of Albany last year, and was claimed off waivers by Kansas City after being one of the Chiefs' final cuts last year. Parker, who had two receptions for 20 yards this summer, was waived by the Chiefs on Saturday.
Pope, signed by Seattle as an undrafted free agent out of Jacksonville State, ran for 162 yards on 24 carries in the preseason. He replaces Robinson on the roster after the running back broke his right leg against the Eagles. It is the same leg Robinson, signed by the Jets in the offseason, broke last season in Week 8 against the Giants while with New Orleans.
Roberts was a seventh-round pick of the Patriots in 2015, but spent his rookie season on injured reserve after hurting his wrist.
New York also filled seven of its 10 practice squad spots, signing linebackers Freddie Bishop and Victor Ochi; cornerback Bryson Keeton; safety Doug Middleton; defensive lineman Claude Pelon; guard Craig Watts; and wide receiver Myles White.
Bishop, Keeton, Middleton, Pelon and Watts all spent training camp with the Jets. Ochi, a former star at Stony Brook, was among Baltimore's final cuts Saturday. White had been with the Giants this summer.
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