NY Jets TE Kenny Yeboah could get a chance to shine soon

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Kenny Yeboah / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

The NY Jets have been starved for tight end help all season. And now, following an injury to Tyler Kroft, they might have no choice but to turn to undrafted rookie Kenny Yeboah.

Yeboah was one of a host of undrafted free agents the Jets signed shortly following the 2021 NFL Draft. But few, if any, had as much pre-draft hype as he did.

The Ole Miss product was widely seen as a Day 3 prospect with reports indicating the Jets even had a fourth-round grade on him. That's why so many were excited to see what Yeboah could do when he finally got his chance.

Yeboah didn't do much to stand out in the summer, although his most notable contribution undoubtedly came on the final play of the Jets' third preseason game when he managed to haul in a miraculous Hail Mary from James Morgan to score the last-second victory.

Yeboah has been used sparingly this season appearing in just one game and playing only five special-teams snaps, but the Jets might be forced to give him a shot in the coming weeks.

Kenny Yeboah could be given a big opportunity with the NY Jets soon

Tight end was already probably the weakest position on the roster even before the team traded away Daniel Brown and lost Tyler Kroft to a chest injury.

Kroft's injury leaves the Jets with just one true tight end on their active roster, that being veteran Ryan Griffin. And it's not as if Griffin is a particularly inspiring option in the first place.

The Jets also have Trevon Wesco who has been forced to play quite a bit of tight end in recent weeks. Wesco was drafted as a tight end but has been used much more at fullback this season.

But that's it. That's all the Jets have in the way of players under contract who can feasibly play tight end.

The Jets did protect both Yeboah and former Detroit Lions fullback Nick Bawden on their practice squad this week indicating that one or both players could be elevated for the team's Week 10 matchup with the Buffalo Bills.

Bawden was a seventh-round pick in 2018 who missed all of his rookie season and 2020 due to serious knee injuries. He did play 10 games in 2019 before landing on the injured reserve once again.

The Jets could use Bawden as their primary fullback allowing Wesco to play tight end, but even then, that would leave them with just two tight ends. It's very likely we see both Bawden and Yeboah, or at least the latter, elevated this week.

Yeboah shined at Ole Miss as an athletic vertical threat and move tight end which is where he could be used in the NFL. The Jets seem to prefer that he develops a bit more on the practice squad, but they might not have a choice anymore.

Kenny Yeboah might be forced into action in the immediate future. Now, it's all about making the most of the opportunities he's afforded.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.