Jets preseason hero Nate Lynn primed for first NFL opportunity after latest injury

The New York Jets suffered a blow to their edge rotation on Sunday, losing Braiden McGregor to a season-ending injury. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported Monday morning that McGregor tore his pec and will be put on ice for the remainder of 2026.

McGregor, who was one of the more shocking names to make the Jets' final 53-man roster in late August, was quietly having a solid start to the season. Thanks to various injuries to Joseph Ossai and Kingsley Enagbare, he saw an uptick in playing time, appearing on 49 (18%) of defensive snaps and 46 (45%) of special teams snaps.

Now, McGregor's spot as the fifth edge in the Jets' rotation is up for grabs, and there seems to be a fairly obvious candidate hiding in plain sight on New York's practice squad. Preseason standout Nate Lynn.

Lynn, who was a fan favorite during the summer and a hopeful candidate to make the team after a standout preseason, may finally get the chance he's been waiting for to make his mark in the pros. The Jets could certainly use the juice.

Nate Lynn in line for a role with New York Jets after Braiden McGregor injury

Lynn was a relatively late addition to the Jets' offseason 90-man roster. He was a member of the Detroit Lions in 2024, Aaron Glenn's final season as defensive coordinator, and was on the Tennessee Titans' practice squad for a good part of the 2025 season.

Once Robert Saleh came to town, Tennessee cut ties with the William & Mary product, and he spent most of the summer looking for work.

The Jets gave him a shot in mid-August, and he suited up for the team's final two preseason games against the Pittsburgh Steelers and New York Giants, recording three sacks in two games, along with eight total tackles.

He was waived as part of final roster cuts, but was subsequently brought back onto the practice squad, where he spent the beginning of the 2026 season. With McGregor headed to injured reserve, his vacant roster spot may belong to Lynn.

The Jets are in desperate need of some new life at pass rusher. Things have been dormant for a few weeks now, and Lynn may just be able to get things back on track if his preseason outings provide any indication of the player he is.

Regardless of whether or not he can keep his production the same against NFL starters remains to be seen, but at this point, the Jets should be trying anything and everything at their disposal to get this pass rush going.

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