S Jamal Adams Interested In Jets Reunion
Jamal Adams is five years removed from the trade which ended his Jets tenure. The veteran safety is now eyeing a return to the team which drafted him, however. 
“I would love to be back with the Jets and, obviously, finish it the right way,” Adams said during an exchange with Jets fans on X (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini). “Man, that would be a dream come true, just to patch up that relationship and kind of make it right.”
Adams spent his first three years with the Jets, establishing himself as one of the league’s top defensive backs over that span. The former No. 6 pick earned a Pro Bowl nod in 2018 and ’19, along with one spot on each of the first- and second- All-Pro teams along the way. A trade request sparked in part by Adams’ desire to become the league’s highest-paid safety led to a trade sending him to the Seahawks. He noted, via Cimini, he has reached out to former Jets GM Joe Douglas to apologize for the way the saga unfolded.
That swap saw New York receive a pair of first-round picks and saw Adams land a $70MM deal with the Seahawks. The LSU product recorded 9.5 sacks in 2020 en route to a third straight Pro Bowl nod. After that, however, Adams struggled with a decline in play in coverage and, later, injuries. He (along with Quandre Diggs) was released in a cost-shedding move last spring.
The Titans wound up adding Adams, but in late October the team granted his request to be released and become an in-season free agent. That led to a practice squad arrangement with the Lions, allowing Adams to spend time with then-Detroit defensive coordinator Aaron Glenn. Glenn is now the Jets’ head coach, so a return to New York would double as a reunion between those two.
As the Lions dealt with a number of injuries on defense, Adams only made a pair of appearances and played just 20 defensive snaps. A regular role would not be expected if a Jets pact were to worked out to add him to a safety room including returnee Tony Adams, free agent addition Andre Cisco and fourth-round rookie Malachi Moore. A move to linebacker has been floated in the past in Adams’ case, and such a transition would involve a spot behind Jamien Sherwood and Quincy Williams on the depth chart.
With over $23MM in cap space, the Jets could certainly afford a low-cost flier on Adams. It will be interesting to see if the team’s new regime led by Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey reciprocates his interest in a contract.
Jets Release K Greg Zuerlein
Greg Zuerlein‘s three-year run with the Jets has come to an end. The veteran kicker was released on Friday, per a team announcement. 
Zuerlein enjoyed a strong pair of seasons upon arrival in New York, connecting on 86.7% of his field goal attempts over that stretch. The Jets aimed to keep him in the fold last spring, and a two-year pact was indeed agreed to in March. Instead of collecting a $4.1MM salary for 2025, though, Zuerlein will hit free agency late in the offseason.
Cutting the 37-year-old will create $2.42MM in cap savings for New York. The team will incur a $2.31MM dead charge as a result. Of course, finances are not the only factor which drove this decision. Zuerlein struggled during his eight appearances last season while spending much of the year on the sidelines due to injury. This move comes with a failed physical designation, Aaron Wilson of KPRC2 notes.
A large audition period was held in the middle of the campaign as a result of Zuerlein’s struggles and ailments. That led to deals for Riley Patterson and Spencer Shrader in October, although neither of them remain on the team at this point. The only other experienced kicker currently on the Jets’ roster is Anders Carlson, who split his time between San Francisco and New York last season following his brief Packers tenure. The 26-year-old connected on eight of 10 field goal attempts in five games for the Jets before signing a futures deal in January.
New York did not draft a kicker last month, although Caden Davis was among the 15 undrafted free agents added to the team’s rookie class recently. The Ole Miss product will compete with Carlson during the summer, although more options could be added before training camp. Zuerlein, meanwhile, will likely struggle to generate a market given his age and poor showing when on the field last year. The former All-Pro could nevertheless get a look in the event of injuries or underwhelming showings around the league in the near future.
This marks the second key special teams move in recent days for the Jets. On Tuesday, the team cut veteran punter Thomas Morstead. A new group of specialists will be in place for 2025.
Jets Release P Thomas Morstead
The Jets added a low-profile punter recently, and they are removing their incumbent from the competition. The team is releasing veteran Thomas Morstead, per the New York Post’s Ryan Dunleavy.
Morstead spent the past two seasons as the Jets’ punter. The team has since announced the release, along with the signing of Kai Kroeger.
Austin McNamara, a 2024 UDFA, signed with the Jets in March. With McNamara not playing in a regular-season game last year, that move did not generate much attention. But the Jets did make sweeping changes since re-signing Morstead in 2024, replacing the Joe Douglas–Robert Saleh regime with the Darren Mougey–Aaron Glenn partnership. The new power brokers appear to be planning a competition between two far less experienced punters.
Not part of the Jets’ initial 15-man UDFA class, Kroeger joined the team Tuesday after a five-year career as South Carolina’s punter. Kroeger punted in 61 games for the Gamecocks from 2020-24; his best gross average came last season (47.8). McNamara served as Texas Tech’s punter from 2019-23, joining Kroeger in taking advantage of the COVID-19 year. McNamara averaged a career-best 48.2 yards per boot in 2021.
This is the third time the Jets have released Morstead. They cut him midway through the 2021 season and then did make a procedural release upon setting its roster in 2023. Morstead re-signed with the Jets shortly after they sorted out other roster issues and punted in every game for the team over the past two seasons. The former Saints Super Bowl-winning specialist averaged 48.8 yards per punt in 2023 — his most since a Pro Bowl 2012 season (mostly spent indoors) — and posted a 47.2-yard number last year.
The Jets, who had re-signed Morstead on a two-year deal worth $5.1MM in 2024, will save $2.55MM in cap space by cutting him this time. He was due to make a $2.13MM base salary. McNamara and Kroeger will be on league-minimum numbers. With neither having played in an NFL game, the Jets going with another free agent could also transpire. Either way, Morstead is a free agent again at 39. It will be interesting to see if he can secure an opportunity to play a 17th NFL season.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/12/25
The following 2025 draft picks signed their rookie contracts today:
Arizona Cardinals
- LB Cody Simon (fourth round, Ohio State)
Dallas Cowboys
- RB Jaydon Blue (fifth round, Texas)
New Orleans Saints
- S Jonas Sanker (third round, Virginia)
New York Jets
- WR Arian Smith (fourth round, Georgia)
Philadelphia Eagles
- OL Drew Kendall (fifth round, Boston College)
San Francisco 49ers
- QB Kurtis Rourke (seventh round, Indiana)
Tennessee Titans
- TE Gunnar Helm (fourth round, Texas)
Jets Sign 15 UDFA Rookies
The Jets announced the completion of their 22-man rookie class this weekend. Joining the seven drafted players will be the following 15 undrafted free agent signings:
- Jared Bartlett, LB (Cincinnati)
- Dean Clark, CB (Fresno State)
- Jordan Clark, CB (Notre Dame)
- Brady Cook, QB (Missouri)
- Caden Davis, K (Ole Miss)
- Donovan Edwards, RB (Michigan)
- Gus Hartwig, C (Purdue)
- Dymere Miller, WR (Rutgers)
- Fatorma Mulbah, DT (West Virginia)
- Payton Page, DT (Clemson)
- Jamaal Pritchett, WR (South Alabama)
- Quentin Skinner, WR (Kansas)
- Aaron Smith, LB (South Carolina State)
- Ja’Markis Weston, LB (Florida)
- Leander Wiegand, G (GER)
The Jets spent a ton on undrafted free agent guarantees in order to get the guys they wanted this year, according to multiple reports from Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2. The largest of these deals went to Wiegand, who Wilson reports got $249K in guarantees comprised of $234K in base salary and a $15K signing bonus. Weston was next with $200K in guarantees. Skinner received $185K in guaranteed money, Edwards received $170K, (Dean) Clark received $160K ($140K in base salary, $20K in signing bonus), and Mulbah received $100K.
After spending a year at UCF in 2021, Wiegand went to Germany and played in the European League of Football. Most recently, he played for the Munich Ravens, whose offensive line coach just happens to be Browns Hall of Fame legend Joe Thomas. Wiegand caught the eyes of several scouts when he churned out 38 bench press reps of 225 pounds at his pro day, five more than the combine’s best participant. Coming from overseas, Wiegand was granted a roster exemption as a member of the International Player Pathway program.
Despite all the money getting thrown around for priority free agents, Edwards was really the only one projected to be selected late in Day 3. He didn’t take over as a starter for the Wolverines until his senior season and never broke 1,000 rushing yards. His best season came in 2022, when he was the “two” in the one-two punch with Blake Corum. He totaled 991 rushing yards and seven touchdowns that year while averaging an incredible 7.1 yards per carry. His abilities as a receiver could help him continue his role as a change-of-pace back in the NFL.
Miller arrived in Piscataway as an FCS star, having just earned first-team All-American and first-team All-CAA honors as a team captain for Monmouth with 90 catches for 1,293 yards and nine touchdowns. His final collegiate season was plagued by drops (10), but his 59 catches for 757 yards still led the Scarlet Knights in both categories.
NFL Draft Pick Signings: 5/9/25
We saw a busy day of 2025 NFL Draft pick signings today. Here are the mid- to late-round picks who inked their four-year rookie deals:
Arizona Cardinals
- OLB Jordan Burch (third round, Oregon)
- CB Denzel Burke (fifth round, Ohio State)
- G Hayden Conner (sixth round, Texas)
- S Kitan Crawford (seventh round, Nevada)
Buffalo Bills
- DE Landon Jackson (third round, Arkansas)
- CB Jordan Hancock (fifth round, Ohio State)
- TE Jackson Hawes (fifth round, Georgia Tech)
- CB Dorian Strong (sixth round, Virginia Tech)
- T Chase Lundt (sixth round, Connecticut)
- WR Kaden Prather (seventh round, Maryland)
Cincinnati Bengals
- G Dylan Fairchild (third round, Georgia)
- LB Barrett Carter (fourth round, Clemson)
- T Jalen Rivers (fifth round, Miami)
- RB Tahj Brooks (sixth round, Texas Tech)
Detroit Lions
- G Miles Frazier (fifth round, LSU)
- DE Ahmed Hassanein (sixth round, Boise State)
- S Dan Jackson (seventh round, Georgia)
- WR Dominic Lovett (seventh round, Georgia)
Houston Texans
- S Jaylen Reed (sixth round, Penn State)
- QB Graham Mertz (sixth round, Florida)
- DT Kyonte Hamilton (seventh round, Rutgers)
- TE Luke Lachey (seventh round, Iowa)
Jacksonville Jaguars
- CB Caleb Ransaw (third round, Tulane)
- G Wyatt Milum (third round (West Virginia)
- LB Jalen McLeod (sixth round, Auburn)
- S Rayuan Lane III (sixth round, Navy)
- C Jonah Monheim (seventh round, USC)
- RB LeQuint Allen (seventh round, Syracuse)
Las Vegas Raiders
- WR Dont’e Thornton Jr. (fourth round, Tennessee)
Los Angeles Chargers
- DT Jamaree Caldwell (third round, Oregon)
- OLB Kyle Kennard (fourth round, South Carolina)
- WR KeAndre Lambert-Smith (fifth round, Auburn)
- TE Oronde Gadsden II (fifth round, Syracuse)
- G Branson Taylor (sixth round, Pittsburgh)
- S RJ Mickens (sixth round, Clemson)
- S Trikweze Bridges (seventh round, Florida)
Minnesota Vikings
- WR Tai Felton (third round, Maryland)
- DE Tyrion Ingram-Dawkins (fifth round, Georgia)
- LB Kobe King (sixth round, Penn State)
- TE Gavin Bartholomew (sixth round, Pittsburgh)
New England Patriots
- WR Kyle Williams (third round, Washington State)
- C Jared Wilson (third round, Georgia)
- DT Joshua Farmer (fourth round, Florida State)
- OLB Bradyn Swinson (fifth round, LSU)
- K Andy Borregales (sixth round, Miami)
- T Marcus Bryant (seventh round, Missouri)
- LS Julian Ashby (seventh round, Vanderbilt)
- CB Kobee Minor (seventh round, Memphis)
New York Giants
- G Marcus Mbow (fifth round, Purdue)
- TE Thomas Fidone II (seventh round, Nebraska)
New York Jets
- CB Korie Black (seventh round, Oklahoma State)
Pittsburgh Steelers
- RB Kaleb Johnson (third round, Iowa)
- OLB Jack Sawyer (fourth round, Ohio State)
- DT Yahya Black (fifth round, Iowa)
- QB Will Howard (sixth round, Ohio State)
- LB Carson Bruener (seventh round, Washington)
- CB Donte Kent (seventh round, Central Michigan)
San Francisco 49ers
- LB Nick Martin (third round, Oklahoma State)
- CB Upton Stout (third round, Western Kentucky)
- WR Jordan Watkins (fourth round, Ole Miss)
- RB Jordan James (fifth round, Oregon)
- S Marques Sigle (fifth round, Kansas State)
- G Connor Colby (seventh round, Iowa)
- WR Junior Bergen (seventh round, Montana)
Tennessee Titans
- S Kevin Winston Jr. (third round, Penn State)
- WR Elic Ayomanor (fourth round, Stanford)
- G Jackson Slater (fifth round, Sacramento State)
- CB Marcus Harris (sixth round, California)
- RB Kalel Mullings (sixth round, Michigan)
Washington Commanders
- WR Jaylin Lane (fourth round, Virginia Tech)
- LB Kain Medrano (sixth round, UCLA)
- RB Jacory Croskey-Merritt (seventh round, Arizona)
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/9/25
Here are the minor NFL transactions to close out the week:
Arizona Cardinals
- Received roster exemption (international player): OL Valentin Senn
Atlanta Falcons
- Received roster exemption (international player): K Lenny Krieg
- Waived: DT Junior Aho
Buffalo Bills
- Claimed off waivers (from Giants): DT Casey Rogers
Carolina Panthers
- Reverted to IR: DT Popo Aumavae
- Waived: OLB Kenny Dyson
Cincinnati Bengals
- Received roster exemption (international player): S Dante Barnett
Detroit Lions
- Received roster exemption (international player): DE Ahmed Hassanein
Houston Texans
- Waived: G Nick Broeker
Indianapolis Colts
- Signed: RB Ulysses Bentley IV
- Received roster exemption (international player): S Marcel Dabo
- Waived: G Atonio Mafi, DT Pheldarius Payne
Las Vegas Raiders
- Waived (with failed physical designation): WR Jeff Foreman
Los Angeles Chargers
- Waived: OLB Chris Collins
Minnesota Vikings
- Received roster exemption (international player): P Oscar Chapman
New York Jets
- Received roster exemption (international player): G Leander Wiegand
San Francisco 49ers
- Signed: CB Dallis Flowers
Seattle Seahawks
- Signed: LB D’Eryk Jackson
Dyson was cut from the team after news that running back Jonathon Brooks‘ placement on the physically unable to perform list would, in fact, still count him against the 90-man roster limit. They initially were told by the league that he would not count, but the updated guidance today necessitated that they lose a man.
Jackson joins Seattle’s undrafted free agent rookie class after they announced their 17 signees almost a week ago. A successful rookie minicamp tryout led to him securing a contract.
Similarly, Bentley, for whatever reason was also announced separately from the Colts’ UDFA class, even though the class was announced only a few hours before his signing. The 24-year-old hasn’t been a lead back since his 2020 season at SMU, but in three years apiece at SMU and Ole Miss, Bentley never averaged below five yards per carry in a season.
Minor NFL Transactions: 5/8/25
Here are the latest minor moves from around the NFL:
Carolina Panthers
- Waived/injured: DT Popo Aumavae, TE Colin Granger
- Released: TE Jordan Matthews, WR Dax Milne
- Waived: DT Jerrod Clark, WR T.J. Luther, C Andrew Raym
New York Giants
- Waived: DL Casey Rogers
New York Jets
- Waived (failed physical): LB Jimmy Ciarlo, WR Marcus Riley
- Waived: WR Easop Winston
Granger is a former Division I basketball player attempting to convert to tight end under the tutelage of George Fant, who also played D-I basketball before embarking on his NFL career. A hamstring injury led to his release, according to ESPN’s David Newton.
Jets Sign First-Round T Armand Membou, Four Other Draftees
The Jets have signed first-round offensive tackle Armand Membou to a four-year rookie contract worth $31.9MM, per a team announcement. Like all first-round picks, the deal is fully guaranteed and contains a fifth-year option for 2029.
Membou will likely take over the Jets’ starting right tackle job right away after Morgan Moses left New York in free agency this offseason. The Missouri product will face some competition from former Day 3 picks Carter Warren and Max Mitchell, but his three years of starting experience in the SEC and elite athleticism should help him adjust to the NFL quickly. With 2024 first-rounder Olu Fashanu set to take over at left tackle, the Jets are hoping they’ve found bookends to their offensive line for the foreseeable future.
The Jets also announced the signing of four other draft picks: third-rounder Azareye’h Thomas (No. 73), fourth-rounder Malachi Moore (No. 130) and fifth-rounders Francisco Mauigoa (No. 163) and Tyler Baron (No. 176).
Thomas brings even more talent to a Jets secondary that was already a team bright spot in 2024. The Florida State product is a long, physical corner who lacks elite athleticism or ball production. He doesn’t have slot versatility, so he will likely start behind Sauce Gardner and Brandon Stephens on the depth chart. Still, Thomas’ instincts and competitiveness will have him pushing for starting snaps quickly; in the meantime, his special teams experience will allow him to contribute from Day 1.
Moore brings plenty of experience in the slot from his time at Alabama, but he played some of his best football in 2024 as a free safety. He showed good range in coverage and a quick trigger against the run, though he has average size and athleticism. The Jets are set to start former UDFA Tony Adams and free agent signing Andre Cisco at safety in 2025, but neither are under contract past this season. Moore should be able to carve out a rotational role as a rookie with a clear shot at a starting job in 2026. Like Thomas, he has plenty of experience on special teams that will give him more opportunities to see the field.
Mauigoa led Miami’s defense in 2023 and 2024 and racked up 178 tackles (35 for loss). The 22-year-old is a durable, instinctive linebacker who will need to work on getting off blocks and consistently tackling ballcarriers in the NFL. He’ll have time to do that in an experienced Jets linebacker room while he plays special teams as a rookie.
Baron, who played with Mauigoa in 2024, is an explosive edge rusher with 21.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks across his final two college seasons. He has an enticing frame with long arms and a burgeoning understanding of how to use them to beat blocks. The NFL will test Baron’s ability to set the edge against the run and add more power to his game. The Jets’ pair of 2022 first-round edge defenders – Will McDonald and Jermaine Johnson – profile as the team’s starters for the foreseeable future, but Baron could grow into a rotational pass rusher with more potential if he grows as a run defender.
The Jets have two draft picks who have yet to sign their rookie contracts: second-round tight end Mason Taylor and fourth-round wide receiver Arian Smith. Here is a full list of their 2025 draft class:
- Round 1, No. 7: Armand Membou (T, Missouri) (signed)
- Round 2, No. 42: Mason Taylor (TE, LSU)
- Round 3, No. 73: Azareye’h Thomas (CB, Florida State) (signed)
- Round 4, No. 110: Arian Smith (WR, Georgia)
- Round 4, No. 130 (from Lions through Broncos and Eagles): Malachi Moore (S, Alabama) (signed)
- Round 5, No. 162 (from Rams through Steelers): Francisco Mauigoa (LB, Miami) (signed)
- Round 6, No. 176 (from Ravens): Tyler Baron (DE, Miami) (signed)
Jets WR Allen Lazard ‘In Play’ For Steelers
After trading George Pickens to the Cowboys, the Steelers could be in the market to add depth at wide receiver. Their pursuit of Aaron Rodgers may point them towards one of his favorite targets: Allen Lazard.
Lazard is currently under contract with the Jets, but he is “‘in play’ to be traded to the Steelers,” according to Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio. The 29-year-old wideout started his NFL career with Rodgers in Green Bay and was signed by the Jets in 2023 as part of their effort to bring the four-time MVP to New York.
Lazard put up career-worst numbers in 2023 while catching passes from three different quarterbacks following Rodgers’ Achilles injury. He was a healthy scratch for the last two games of the season but rebounded in 2024 with Rodgers back under center. Lazard missed five games due to injury and finished the season with 37 receptions on 60 targets for 530 yards and six touchdowns.
The Steelers have kept in touch with Rodgers since his visit and remain “hopeful” that he will play for the team this year, per ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler. Trading draft capital for Lazard would be another indication of Pittsburgh’s confidence that Rodgers will put pen to paper eventually.
Moving on from Lazard likely wouldn’t be an issue for the Jets after Rodgers’ departure this offseason. Their new regime signed two veterans with similar skillsets in Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini, which could make Lazard surplus to requirements.
Lazard’s acceptance of a $7.5MM pay cut earlier this offseason makes his contract far more attractive in a trade. His 2025 salary is now just $2.25MM with $1.75MM fully-guaranteed and another $250k available in per-game roster bonuses, per OverTheCap. That’s more money than the Steelers saved by trading Pickens; while they still need to budget for Rodgers, they can still certainly afford to add Lazard to their ledger.
The Jets, meanwhile, will have to account for $6.55MM in dead money if they trade Lazard. A pre-June 1 trade would put it all on the books in 2025 and cost them an extra $1.9MM against the salary cap, while a post-June 1 trade would push $4.37MM to 2026 with $2.43MM of overall cap savings this year.
Lazard’s connection to Rodgers will no doubt interest the Steelers, especially if one acquisition would beget the other. However, they are still counting on a jump from 2024 third-rounder Roman Wilson after his disappointing rookie season, per Fowler. Injuries limited Wilson to just one appearance with five snaps and zero targets in 2024. A healthy offseason could give him a better chance at capitalizing on his impressive physical profile, especially if he’s catching passes from Rodgers instead of Mason Rudolph.
Pittsburgh now has three 2026 third-rounders they could use to add WR depth, as noted by Fowler, though it’s hard to imagine Lazard fetching more than a Day 3 pick. He might be a cheaper alternative to some of their other targets, which may be the team’s preference after their substantial investment in D.K. Metcalf. Using a late-round pick to acquire Lazard would leave the Steelers enough premium draft picks in 2026 to add another receiver on Day 2 or even move up in the first round for a quarterback.