New York Jets News & Rumors

Jets To Waive WR Malachi Corley

Malachi Corley‘s time with the Jets is coming to an end. The 2024 third-rounder is among New York’s roster cuts, NFL insider Jordan Schultz reports.

This will bring a quick end to Corley’s Big Apple tenure. The move also comes despite the Jets still carrying considerable questions at receiver beyond Garrett Wilson. But Corley was drafted by the Joe Douglas regime. The Darren Mougey-Aaron Glenn power structure has seen enough, evidently.

The Jets drafted Corley 65th overall last year, having traded up (via the Panthers) for the shifty prospect. But Corley produced a three-catch, 16-yard rookie season. The Western Kentucky prospect did not impress during Aaron Rodgers‘ season as the team’s starter, and his most memorable Jets sequence came when he dropped the ball before the goal line to deny the Jets a touchdown on a reverse during a nationally televised game.

Corley, 23, has three years left on his rookie contract. A claiming team would have Corley on a $1MM 2025 base salary. Even with Corley faceplanting in New York, it would not surprise to see a claim due to his draft status barely a year ago. Although the Jets carry significant questions about their Wilson sidekick contingent, Corley entered training camp uncertain to make the roster.

Josh Reynolds, Allen Lazard, Xavier Gipson and Tyler Johnson are among the players presently rounding out the Jets’ receiving corps. This creates natural concerns about the passing game’s viability in Justin Fields‘ first season, especially considering the new quarterback’s issues as a passer to date. But the Jets will pass on a second Corley season anyway.

Vikings, Jets Still Eyeing WR Addition; Raiders, Steelers Also In Market

With the deadline for roster cuts looming, trades around the league remain a distinct possibility over the coming days. The receiver position could be one to watch closely.

The Vikings and Jets are still evaluating the WR landscape with respect to trades, Dianna Russini of The Athletic reports. Last week, Minnesota and New York were among the teams named as suitors on this front, so today’s update comes as no surprise. The Vikings and Jets both face questions about their depth beyond their established No. 1 wideouts.

Garrett Wilson will again lead the way in New York, with free agent addition Josh Reynolds set to play a notable role. Allen Lazard‘s future was a talking point earlier in the offseason given the Aaron Rodgers release, but he is on track to play out this season on a reduced contract. Any receivers brought in will be viewed as depth behind that trio and 2024 third-rounder Malachi Corley.

The Vikings have been connected to an Adam Thielen reunion, and calls have been made to the Panthers about a deal. Nothing is imminent at this point, but the 35-year-old would offer experienced depth behind Justin Jefferson and (when he returns from suspension) Jordan Addison. Minnesota has been busy on the trade front recently, and making an addition at the receiver spot could be the next item on the agenda.

Russini’s report also indicates the Raiders and Steelers are among the potential landing spots for a new wideout. Vegas has witnessed Jakobi Meyers issue a trade request, calling into question his future with the team. The pending free agent is not one the Raiders are looking to move on from, but especially if a swap were to take place an addition could become necessary. Tre Tucker along with rookies Jack Bech and Dont’e Thornton are in position to play supporting roles, but further moves could help add a complementary presence to tight end Brock Bowers.

A receiver acquisition has long been talked about in the case of the Steelers this offseason. D.K. Metcalf will lead the way in 2025 and beyond, but the unproven nature of Calvin Austin and Roman Wilson has led to calls for a more established No. 2 option. Multiple free agent visits have taken place with free agent Gabe Davis, but no signing has come about since.

In addition to Davis, Amari Cooper, Tyler Boyd and DJ Chark are among the top unsigned wideouts at this time. Other notable names will no doubt become available over the next 24 hours through trade or cutdowns. A shortlist of teams is worth monitoring as the position’s late-summer landscape takes shape.

Jets Release LB Jamin Davis, Waive Six Others

The Jets are also cracking the seal on roster cuts today. New York released one veteran and waived six other players:

Released:

Waived:

Davis, the 2021 first-round pick for the Commanders out of Kentucky, looked for a second like he may live up to his draft stock with a 104-tackle sophomore campaign as a full-time starter in Washington. After the team declined his fifth-year option last year, though, they attempted to move him to defensive end and eventually cut him. He bounced around a bit in the NFC North, playing four games for the Vikings, before landing with the Jets on New Year’s Eve. After an offseason with New York, it looks like Davis will be back out on the free agent market.

With Justin Fields and Tyrod Taylor in place as QB1 & QB2, respectively, Martinez found himself in a battle with undrafted rookie Brady Cook for the QB3 job. Martinez getting cut isn’t much of a surprise, as it was rumored to happen all the way back in May. Oddly enough, the person who made that prediction also believed Cook would fail to make the initial 53-man roster, asserting that the Jets would carry only two quarterbacks on the active roster and that Martinez and Cook were battling for a practice squad slot.

Martinez also spent 2024 as the team’s practice squad quarterback, so the Jets have plenty of experience with him in that role. Waiving him could indicate that Cook has won the QB3 role and will remain on the active roster, but Cook could still be cut, at which point a decision would still need to be made on which young passer would be retained on the practice squad.

Jets Trade DT Derrick Nnadi To Chiefs

2025 appeared to set Derrick Nnadi up for his first career season spent outside of Kansas City. That will not be the case for the veteran defensive tackle, however.

The Jets are trading Nnadi to the Chiefs, ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports. Conditional sixth- and seventh-round picks in 2027 are being exchanged as part of this swap, which is now official. Today’s move means Nnadi, whose entire seven-year NFL career has taken place in Kansas City, will return to a familiar team for the coming season.

The 29-year-old took a one-year pact in March to head to New York. That $1.42MM deal contained marginal guarantees, and the Jets will take on a dead money charge of $168K as a result of this swap. The team will gain $1.03MM in cap space, however.

Today’s trade continues the shuffling along the defensive interior overseen by the Jets in recent days. On Wednesday, a swap was worked out with the Vikings for Harrison Phillips. That same day also saw the acquisition of Jowon Briggs from the Browns. With those new faces in place, New York moved quickly in waiving Phidarian Mathis. Nnadi is also out of the picture just before the deadline for final roster cuts.

Over the course of his time in Kansas City, Nnadi raked up 87 starts across 115 appearances. The three-time Super Bowler winner was also a key figure during the postseason. The Chiefs found themselves in need of an addition along the D-line for early-down work in particular with the regular season approaching. They will rely on a familiar face to fill that void.

Nnadi made between 29 and 48 tackles during his first six Kansas City seasons. The former third-rounder’s production dropped off considerably in 2024, a year in which his defensive snap share fell to a career-low 20%. At least a rotational role will be in store this season upon returning, though. Nnadi’s 2026 value will be determined by his level of play with his former team.

Jets Begin Roster Cuts

The Jets are the latest team to unveil an early round of roster cuts ahead of the upcoming deadline. Per a team announcement, the following six players have been waived:

Each member of the list will now hit the waiver wire. Usually, a one-day period exists for a claim to be made. At this point on the NFL calendar, however, that timeframe lasts until Wednesday (the day following final roster cuts). As such, each player listed will need to wait several days to learn their fate.

Johnson signed a futures deal with New York in January, whereas Miller and Mullbah were part of the team’s UDFA class. They each received a lengthy look in the organization, but today’s move obviously comes as little surprise as the journey to 53 continues in New York’s case. A spot on the practice squad will of course be possible for any players not claimed next week.

Wilson’s situation will be worth watching. The Florida State product enjoyed a strong campaign in 2024 with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers before attempting to land an NFL roster spot. Provided he reaches free agency by means of not being claimed or signing with the Jets’ practice squad, a trip north of the border could once again be in store.

NFL Roster Updates: Doubs, Lazard, Smith, Ward, Bush

Packers head coach Matt LaFleur emphatically shut down rumors that wide receiver Romeo Doubs wouldn’t make the team’s 53-man roster.

“I’d be very shocked if he was going anywhere,” LaFleur told Kay Adams during an Up & Adams appearance on Thursday.

When asked again if Doubs would be cut, LaFleur responded, “No. That will not happen.” 

The uncertainty surrounding the fourth-year wideout stems from the Packers’ depth at the position after adding Matthew Golden and Savion Williams in April’s draft. However, LaFleur noted that the team was “missing a lot of guys,” namely returning starters Christian Watson and Jayden Reed. Watson, coming off an ACL tear in January, is expected to begin the year on the PUP list, while a sprained foot may sideline Reed for the beginning of the regular season. Williams (hamstring) and Dontayvion Wicks (calf) also missed practice on Tuesday, per ESPN.

As a result, Doubs’ roster spot is safe. Judging by LaFleur’s comments, he would’ve made the team even with a healthy receiver room.

“‘Rome’ is out there competing and doing everything that we need to see from him,” said LaFleur. “And obviously he’s played a lot of ball for us, and at a high level. He’s been a great teammate, he goes out there and you can count on him every day.”

Here are a few other updates on key roster situations around the league:

Minor NFL Transactions: 8/22/25

As teams begin to whittle their rosters down to the eventual 53 players, here are a few transactions aside from mass cuts:

Buffalo Bills

Denver Broncos

Detroit Lions

Houston Texans

New York Jets

Philadelphia Eagles

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

An important note for cuts moving forward: different from the usual 24-hour waiver period, any players waived between now and the roster cut deadline will remain on the waiver wire, available to be claimed, until Wednesday.

Jets Waive DT Phidarian Mathis

Responsible for one of the busier trade days at one position in recent NFL history, the Jets have followed up their defensive tackle acquisitions with a notable cut. Phidarian Mathis is off the roster, ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini tweets. The team traded for Jowon Briggs (from the Browns) and Harrison Phillips (from the Vikings) on Wednesday.

The Jets claimed Mathis off waivers while operating without a full-time GM, making the addition in late December — after firing Joe Douglas and before hiring Darren Mougey. When the Jets claimed Mathis, however, three other teams had tried to do so. It will be interesting to see if the former second-round pick will remain on his rookie deal as of Friday afternoon’s waiver deadline.

The Bengals, Lions and Texans attempted to claim Mathis after his Commanders exit in December. Having been one of three Washington DTs from Alabama chosen in Rounds 1 or 2 (alongside Jonathan Allen and Daron Payne), Mathis did not live up to his draft slot. He suffered an ACL tear early during his rookie season and never made any starts in 2023 or ’24. Mathis logged 203 defensive snaps in 2022 and 257 last season. Allen’s presence in Minnesota, following a Washington release, later influenced the Vikings to trade Phillips.

It is worth pointing out Mathis was drafted under the Ron Rivera-Martin Mayhew regime; the Adam Peters-Dan Quinn power structure moved on from a number of Rivera draftees last summer, and Mathis’ exit followed those cuts. The Jets having claimed Mathis before hiring Aaron Glenn did not do the fourth-year DT any favors, and he did not impress in the new HC’s system.

One season remains on Mathis’ second-round contract. He is due a $1.73MM base salary, and while that figure is nonguaranteed, Mathis’ minimal production (25 career tackles, zero sacks, one QB hit) may lead to interested teams passing and attempting to bring him in as a lower-cost free agent. The Jets will save that $1.73MM by making this cut.

New York also placed edge rusher Rashad Weaver on IR and waived cornerback Ryan Cooper, per the team. The Jets added Weaver on a one-year, $1.17MM deal this offseason. After a 5.5-sack 2022 replacing an injured Harold Landry, Weaver has not recorded a sack since.

Vikings, Jets, 49ers Seeking WR Help

AUGUST 21: To little surprise, Pelissero names Adam Thielen as a potential Vikings target (video link). Nothing is imminent, and the Panthers elected to keep him in the fold at last year’s trade deadline. Reuniting with Thielen would nevertheless allow for Minnesota to bring the former Pro Bowler back to where his first nine seasons took place as a starting-caliber option for 2025.

AUGUST 20: The Vikings are exploring a trade for a veteran wide receiver, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero and The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The Jets and 49ers are also interested in adding a wideout, per Russini.

Minnesota will be without 2023 first-round pick Jordan Addison for the first three games of the season due to a DUI-related suspension. Justin Jefferson (hamstring) has returned to practice after missing much of training camp, but offseason signing Rondale Moore (knee) is out for the year and fourth-year receiver Jalen Nailor (hand) is currently “week-to-week,” according to head coach Kevin O’Connell.

Those absences would likely elevate tight end T.J. Hockenson to the No. 2 pass catcher role in the offense, but the Vikings seem to want more support for second-year quarterback (and first-year starter) J.J. McCarthy.

The Jets similarly have a clear WR1 (Garrett Wilson), a young quarterback (Justin Fields), and a veteran dealing with an injury (Allen Lazard). The hype surrounding veteran Josh Reynolds has faded over the course of the summer, and the rest of the team’s pass catchers are unproven as full-time starters. New York would love to see one of their young wideouts – particularly Malachi Corley, Xavier Gipson, Arian Smith, or Brandon Smith – emerge as a reliable secondary receiver, but it seems like none of the four has impressed in training camp as hoped.

The 49ers’ receiver room is still without Brandon Aiyuk and Jauan Jennings. The former is expected to be back around Week 6, while the latter is still nursing a calf injury (and seeking a new contract). The next man up, 2024 first-rounder Ricky Pearsall, seems poised for a Year 2 breakout, but his would-be running mate, nine-year veteran Demarcus Robinson, could begin the year on a suspension stemming from a 2024 DUI arrest.

Fourth-round rookie Jordan Watkins is also dealing with a high ankle sprain and may not be ready for Week 1. That would leave Pearsall to pair up with Jacob Cowing or Robbie Chosen, who barely played last year, or Russell Gage, who didn’t play at all last year. The 49ers are likely to make a move here before Week 1, with The Athletic’s Matt Barrows predicting multiple additions — for active-roster and practice squad spots — will unfold.

It’s unclear which receivers would be available on the trade market. An Adam Thielen reunion with the Vikings will likely be a popular mock trade in the coming weeks, and the Eagles may be willing to move 2022 first-round pick Jahan Dotson after acquiring John Metchie last week. The Bills also have a surplus of depth receivers and could move one before cutdown day for draft capital and cap relief, per The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia.

Vikings To Trade DL Harrison Phillips To Jets

Adding two high-profile defensive linemen (Javon Hargrave, Jonathan Allen) this offseason, the Vikings will ship out an incumbent starter. Harrison Phillips is heading back to New York.

The Jets are acquiring the veteran interior D-lineman, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports. The Jets will land Phillips and a 2027 seventh-round pick in exchange for 2026 and 2027 sixth-rounders. This deal comes less than a year after Minnesota extended Phillips, who is signed through the 2026 season. This marks the Jets’ second DT trade today; they acquired Jowon Briggs from the Browns earlier.

A former Bills third-round pick, Phillips signed with the Vikings in 2022 and has been a starter for the past three seasons. The Vikes extended Phillips on a two-year, $15MM pact in September 2024. Phillips, 29, has been a reliable player in the Twin Cities; he has not missed a game while with the Vikes.

Tied to a guaranteed $7MM 2025 base salary and $400K in per-game roster bonuses, Phillips will receive payments from multiple teams this year. The Vikings are picking up half that tab, according to The Athletic’s Dianna Russini. The 307-pound defender is due a nonguaranteed $6.89MM salary in 2026. Phillips will give the Jets a starter-level talent in a D-tackle corps that appeared to be lacking one alongside Quinnen Williams.

The arrivals of Phillips and Briggs will complicate the previous Williams sidekick bunch’s paths to the 53-man roster. Second-year defender Leonard Taylor may struggle to stick on the final roster after doing so as an undrafted rookie out of Miami (Fla.) last year. Former second-round pick Phidarian Mathis could be in danger, too, after fizzling out of Washington midseason.

The battle for the starting job next to Williams before today’s transaction looked to be between Byron Cowart and Derrick Nnadi. Cowart, a former five-star recruit who transferred and was drafted in the fifth round in 2019, had a decent season in Chicago last year after a rough start to his career, while Nnadi had enjoyed double-digit starts in every year of his career up until last year, when he was demoted to a rotation role. Both will remain in the rotation, but the starting responsibilities may be beyond their reach with Phillips in the building.

Ultimately, both sides achieved what they needed to in this deal. The Jets bolstered a weak spot on the defense with a veteran starter who should help Williams’ star shine. On the other side, Minnesota will move forward with an incredibly capable defensive line while picking up some decent cap savings over the next two years.

Ely Allen contributed to this post.