Jets land most high-risk Jeremy Ruckert replacement possible with waiver claim

The New York Jets may have left some fans a bit confused after leaving some of the team's better preseason performers off the initial 53-man roster, but Darren Mougey sought to rectify that by being very proactive in the waiver market.

Mason Taylor has tons of potential as the starter, but backups Jeremy Ruckert and Stone Smartt don't inspire a ton of confidence. The Jets made sure to bring in one of the most sought-after names on the market, which could be seen as a direct shot taken at Ruckert after yet another disappointing showing.

The Jets brought in three new players on waivers, the most noteworthy of whom was former Indianapolis Colts tight end Jelani Woods. Now healthy after injuries knocked him out for the last few campaigns, Woods is trying to prove that Indianapolis made a mistake by getting rid of him.

This is more bad news for Ruckert, who struggled once more in the preseason while Smartt managed to put some solid plays on tape. There's a non-zero chance that Woods will eventually surpass Justin Fields' college buddy on Tanner Engstrand's depth chart.

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Jets claim former Colts TE Jelani Woods on waivers

Woods was picked in the third round of the 2022 NFL Draft by the Colts after posting what was the best RAS score in NFL history from a tight end. While Zack Kuntz goes to show that those numbers don't always translate to on-field play, Woods looked like Indy's tight end of the future for a brief minute.

Woods hasn't played in the last two seasons, as injuries have taken a big bite out of his overall potential. However, Woods is a 6-7 target with peak athleticism and a history of being a solid blocker, which could help beef up a Jets tight end room that is very thin outside of Taylor.

With much more receiving upside than Ruckert and better blocking than Smartt, the 2022 version of Woods quantum-leaping into the 2025 Jets tight end room would be good enough to help him eventually win the TE2 job. All the while, Ruckert is looking more like a player who will never quite stick in the pros.

It would be a major shock if Woods ends up being one of the best pass-catchers on this roster, but the Jets are seemingly very excited by the possibility of adding someone with his physical gifts to the mix.

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