Jets Cut RB Jahad Thomas, Sign SS Harold Jones-Quartey To Practice Squad

The New York Jets have cut running back Jahad Thomas from the practice squad and signed safety Harold Jones-Quartey to take Thomas’ vacated spot.

Harold Jones-Quartey is a 24 year old, 5’ 11”, 210 pound safety out of football powerhouse University of Findlay. Findlay’s biggest claim to fame might be that it hosts the Mazza Museum of International Art from Picture Books, which contains the largest collection of children's book illustrations in the United States.

Jones-Quartey was originally signed as an undrafted free agent in 2015 by the Arizona Cardinals. Jones-Quartey was cut by the Cardinals before the start of the 2015 season and was picked up by the Chicago Bears, where he carved out a reserve role in 2015. Jones-Quartey moved into a starting role for the Bears in 2016, and proceeded to become the Bears’ second leading tackler with 74 tackles, along with five passes defended and one interception. After the Bears attempted to upgrade their safeties with draft picks and free agent acquisitions in 2017 Jones-Quartey became expendable, and he was cut prior to the start of the 2017 season.

Jones-Quartey has off the charts explosive qualities. He broad jumped 11 feet, one inch and had a vertical of 40 inches in his Pro Day prior to the 2017 draft, both marks that would have topped every safety at the 2015 NFL Combine, most by a wide margin. His broad jump in particular is remarkable, besting some drafted safeties from 2015 by nearly two feet. If the NFL was a jumping contest Jones-Quartey would be All Pro. That kind of athletic ability might make Jones-Quartey an interesting player for the Jets to try to develop.