NY Jets pay top dollar to sign freakish German offensive lineman after draft

The New York Jets have been busy adding to their roster in the days following the 2025 NFL Draft, signing a number of intriguing undrafted free agents. But one name stands out from the rest — German offensive tackle Leander Wiegand.

The Jets are reportedly giving Wiegand a whopping $249,000 in guarantees, the largest total of any undrafted player they have signed this year and one of the highest guarantees handed out to any UDFA across the league.

That hefty investment signals real belief in Wiegand’s potential, and it all but ensures he will stick around, at minimum, as the team’s International Player Pathway (IPP) practice squad representative in 2025.

Wiegand arrives in New York with an impressive athletic profile and a growing resume overseas. The 6-foot-5, 318-pound lineman most recently played for the Munich Ravens of the European League of Football (ELF), where he was coached by former Browns All-Pro tackle Joe Thomas.

Now, the Jets are betting big that his rare strength and physical tools are worth developing.

The NY Jets just signed the strongest player in the 2025 NFL Draft class

Wiegand’s path to the NFL has been anything but conventional. The massive offensive lineman originally spent a season at UCF in 2021 before returning to Germany in 2022 to continue his football career.

He played for the Cologne Centurions before becoming a key part of the Rhein Fire’s championship-winning offensive line, where he earned first-team All-ELF honors. In 2024, Wiegand joined the Munich Ravens, which is where he crossed paths with the aforementioned Thomas.

Wiegand’s rare blend of strength, size, and surprising athleticism has helped him stand out at every level. At his pro day, he racked up an eye-popping 38 reps on the bench press — five more than any player at this year's NFL Combine and seven more than Jets first-round pick Armand Membou, who was the top offensive tackle performer.

Wiegand also flashed unexpected versatility during his time with the Rhein Fire, where he caught a touchdown pass as an eligible tight end. He has a history of lining up as an extra offensive lineman.

New Jets offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand and offensive line coach Steve Heiden — a former NFL tight end — could look to use Wiegand in a similar way to how the Lions deployed fan-favorite Dan Skipper, lining him up as a jumbo extra lineman or sneaky eligible receiver.

Under NFL rules, each team is allowed to carry one designated International Player Pathway (IPP) participant on their 90-man offseason roster and 16-man practice squad without the player counting toward the roster limits.

It’s a valuable developmental spot that allows international prospects more time to acclimate without taking up a traditional roster spot. The Jets’ designated IPP player last year was offensive tackle Obinna Eze, who spent the entire 2024 season on the practice squad.

Eze remains on the roster for now, but the addition of Wiegand could change that. With only one IPP designation allowed per team, Wiegand seems poised to take that spot moving forward.

The Jets are betting on Leander Wiegand’s raw strength, athletic upside, and unique background as they continue building out their developmental pipeline. If everything clicks, they might have found a hidden gem with one of the most unique stories in this entire draft class.

More NY Jets news and analysis: