7 waiver wire targets (and 3 veterans) the Jets should eye after 53-man roster cuts

The New York Jets trimmed their roster down to 53 players on Sunday evening, but that doesn't necessarily mean they're finished re-shaping and molding what their final group will be when they take the field Week 1 against the Tennessee Titans.

The Jets are set to have the second spot in the waiver claim order, with only the Las Vegas Raiders ahead of them, giving the team an advantage when it comes to players who didn't make the cut elsewhere around the league.

All waiver claims must be submitted by 1 p.m. ET on Monday, and then teams will begin to round out their final 53 along with their respective practice squads. Here are 10 players the Jets should consider adding to their team.

Possible waiver wire targets for the New York Jets

1. K Ben Sauls

It should come as no surprise to Jets fans that several kickers made this list. Jason Sanders proved he can't be trusted in the team's preseason finale, and there are several quality legs around the league who are currently available.

One of the first ones New York should take a look at is Ben Sauls. The former New York Giants kicker lost the competition to Dominic Zvada, John Harbaugh's handpicked specialist out of Michigan. In three games with the Giants last season, Sauls was a perfect 8-for-8 on field goals and 7-for-7 on extra points.

It doesn't hurt that he has experience kicking at MetLife Stadium and didn't miss a single kick throughout the 2026 preseason. Sauls was waived with an injury designation, so the Jets will have to make sure his medicals check out first.

2. OL Tank Lichtenhan

The Jets already addressed depth issues on the interior of their offensive line with the Jordan Meredith trade, but it may still be worth their while to take a flier on an offensive lineman with unteachable size. Enter Gerad Christian-Lichtenhan.

"Tank," a former undrafted free agent for the Baltimore Ravens, stands at 6-foot-7 and 329 pounds. He spent the entire 2025 season on Baltimore's practice squad and played 176 of 208 possible preseason snaps this summer. He still needs some seasoning, but at that size, he's undeniably an intriguing player.

He's played tackle for the majority of his football career, but some larger tackles have seen success transitioning to the interior in recent memory.

3. LB Owen Pappoe

Linebacker is arguably the thinnest group of any position on the Jets roster, and some intriguing names hit the wire on Sunday. Owen Pappoe, formerly of the Arizona Cardinals, should be someone they look into. The veteran has appeared in 49 games over the last three seasons with Arizona.

Pappoe is primarily a special teamer, but also showed promise as a defender for the Cardinals in 2025. He recorded a Pro Football Focus coverage grade of 70.3 last season, but didn't play enough snaps to be ranked among his peers. The Jets can decide if he's an upgrade over the likes of Mykal Walker or Marcelino McCrary-Ball.

4. K Charlie Smyth

The next kicking option for the Jets comes from the New Orleans Saints, who decided on veteran Daniel Carlson as their starting kicker. Smyth only has six games of NFL kicking experience under his belt, but has a massive leg.

In limited action with New Orleans last season, Smyth made 12-of-15 field goal attempts and was 4-of-6 from beyond 50 yards. His longest was a 57-yarder against the Tennessee Titans in Week 17 of the 2025 season. Saints insider Nick Underhill said the Saints hope to retain Smyth on their practice squad, so the Jets may have some competition.

5. QB Will Levis

One thing that became obvious for the Jets throughout the preseason was their need for another experienced quarterback behind Geno Smith, and former Tennessee Titans signal caller Will Levis may be the most intriguing option after somewhat surprisingly being waived.

The former 33rd overall pick has 21 career starts under his belt and has completed 61% of his passes for 3,899 passing yards with 21 touchdowns to 16 interceptions. He's not perfect, but Levis at least would put a buffer in front of Cade Klubnik to prevent him from getting thrown to the fire if Smith gets banged up early.

6. LB Junior Colson

The Los Angeles Chargers cut ties with their 2024 third-round pick, Junior Colson, on Sunday, a former pupil of head coach Jim Harbaugh's at the University of Michigan. His draft pedigree should be intriguing enough to at least get a look on New York's practice squad.

Colson only played 11 games in his rookie season, starting one. He missed the entire 2025 season after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury, and now he may be looking for a new home. What better mentor to learn from than Jets' All-Pro linebacker Demario Davis?

7. K Blake Grupe

Grupe might be the best available kicking option for the Jets at this point in the offseason. The former Indianapolis Colts kicker was waived on Sunday after losing the competition to Spencer Shrader.

In five games with Indianapolis last season, Grupe made 11-of-11 field goal attempts, including a 60-yarder on the road against the eventual Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks. He wasn't as efficient this past preseason, missing 2-of-4 attempts, but his past resume is good enough for a look.

Possible veteran targets for the New York Jets

The final three targets for the Jets are all vested veterans, meaning they've accrued enough NFL experience to skip the waiver system entirely and head right to free agency. All of the following players are free to sign with whatever team they choose.

1. LB Tyrel Dodson

Tyrel Dodson is probably the ideal candidate as a backup linebacker for the Jets. The veteran spent the last two seasons with the Miami Dolphins, playing for current members of New York's defensive coaching staff, Brian Duker and Ryan Slowik. The familiarity is an immediate draw.

The 28-year-old Dodson started 16 games for Miami last season and recorded 129 total tackles, 10 tackles for loss, broke up three passes, and hauled in one interception. He's not elite or anything, but he's likely more trustworthy than Kiko Mauigoa if either Demario Davis or Jamien Sherwood goes down with an injury.

2. IOL Lucas Patrick

Again, just because the Jets made one addition to the interior of their offensive line doesn't mean they can't do it again. Meredith seems to be the primary backup option at center, but with Anez Cooper's potentially serious preseason shoulder injury, the Jets need another option at guard.

Enter former New York Giants lineman Lucas Patrick, who was released on Sunday. The 33-year-old is as experienced as they come, with 65 career starts under his belt, and would be a cheap backup option, especially if Cooper is forced to start the year on injured reserve.

3. QB Nick Mullens

If Will Levis isn't the Jets' cup of tea, another experienced quarterback they could turn to is journeyman Nick Mullens, who was released by the Jacksonville Jaguars. The eight-year veteran was unable to beat out former UDFA Carter Bradley for the QB3 job.

Mullens has 20 career starts under his belt and may not have as much upside as Levis, but you at least know you're getting a guy who's been in multiple quarterback rooms and has seen a lot more football than some of the other younger options that are available.

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