Jets rookie longshot may have secured roster spot after Aaron Glenn praise

The New York Jets wrapped up their preseason on Friday night with a 19-17 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, but the final score was hardly the story. For players on the roster bubble, the preseason finale doubled as a final chance to prove they belong in Florham Park when cutdown day arrives.

Head coach Aaron Glenn was asked after the game about a few players on the roster bubble ahead of next week's roster cuts, and he made sure to shout out one specific player. That player was undrafted rookie wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett.

Glenn stopped short of calling Pritchett a lock, but he made it clear that his performance on Friday night certainly helped his case as he made one final push for a roster spot.

When the head coach highlights a player unprompted, it speaks volumes about how far that player has climbed in such a short time. And in this case, Glenn’s endorsement may have been the rookie’s biggest win yet.

"I can’t say [Jamaal Pritchett]'s a lock, but he put himself in position to see where he fits."

Aaron Glenn

Aaron Glenn speaks glowingly about Jamaal Pritchett after Jets' preseason finale

A first-team All-Sun Belt selection in 2024, Pritchett led the conference in receiving with a breakout 91-catch, 1,126-yard season at South Alabama. That earned him a Senior Bowl invite, but despite the production, he still went unselected in the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Jets signed him as an undrafted free agent shortly following the draft, and at just 5-foot-8, 175 pounds, the undersized Pritchett entered camp as somewhat of a long shot to make the 53-man roster.

But Pritchett put together an outstanding summer, impressing as both a receiver and punt returner. It's the latter that could be his path to a roster spot next week.

The incumbent Xavier Gipson has missed considerable time with a shoulder injury this summer, and Pritchett has taken full advantage of the extra reps. The South Alabama star put a final stamp on his impressive preseason with an excellent performance on Friday night.

Pritchett muffed his first punt attempt, but followed that up with returns of 41 and 22 yards, nearly setting the Jets up for a game-winning field goal. He also led the team in receiving with four catches for 54 yards and likely would've had even more with better quarterback play.

Pritchett has outplayed Gipson — both as a returner and receiver — this summer, and Glenn's unprompted public support on Friday would suggest that he's left quite the impression on the coaching staff.

Glenn has been refreshingly candid in media sessions since taking over as Jets head coach earlier this year, so when he speaks, it carries weight. While he stopped short of calling Pritchett a “lock” for the 53-man roster, his comments made it clear the rookie has a strong chance.

For an undrafted rookie fighting uphill all summer, that kind of endorsement might be the clearest sign yet that his NFL dream is about to become a reality. Now, it's a waiting game.

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