Jets Promote RB De’Angelo Henderson, Cut CB Juston Burris

The New York Jets have promoted running back De’Angelo Henderson from the practice squad to the 53 man roster. To make room for Henderson on the roster the Jets have cut cornerback Juston Burris.

With Bilal Powell on the injured reserve list and Elijah McGuire not eligible to come back from the injured reserve list until next week, the Jets were down to just two running backs on the active roster: Isaiah Crowell and Trenton Cannon. The promotion of Henderson provides some insurance for the Jets on Sunday should Crowell or Cannon go down during the game against the Chicago Bears.

De’Angelo Henderson is a 25 year old (26 next month), 5’ 7”, 210 pound back out of Coastal Carolina University. Henderson was selected by the Denver Broncos with the 203rd overall pick in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL draft, the selection immediately preceding the Jets selection of cornerback Derrick Jones. Henderson impressed the Broncos in his rookie year, but played sparingly. In five games Henderson amassed seven rushes for 13 yards and two receptions for 36 yards and one touchdown. The Broncos added two impressive rookie running backs in 2018 in Royce Freeman and Phillip Lindsay, making Henderson expendable. He was cut by the Broncos and the Jets signed Henderson to the practice squad.

At Coastal Carolina Henderson was a force to be reckoned with. In four years Henderson put up 4,635 rushing yards on 721 carries, good for a 6.4 yard average, and 58 touchdowns. Henderson also caught 97 passes for 921 yards and six touchdowns. In his senior year Henderson had only one out of nine games in which he failed to produce at least one play from scrimmage of 20 or more yards. Henderson is fast, with 4.48 speed, shifty and built low to the ground with excellent leverage. As he will be turning 26 years old in a month, this is an opportunity for Henderson to perhaps make his mark in the NFL before time starts to catch up to him in the eyes of NFL talent evaluators and younger guys coming up through the ranks begin to pass him by.

The release of Juston Burris to make room for Henderson is perhaps overdue. Burris struggled in the NFL, never living up to the Jets’ hopes for him. In two and a half seasons with the Jets Juston Burris played in 34 games, with two starts. He made 28 tackles, with two interceptions, one forced fumble and seven passes defended. In 2018 Burris played in just four games and did not register a stat. Even as the Jets’ secondary was riddled with injuries Burris remained glued to the bench, an indication the Jets coaching staff had lost confidence in the former fourth round draft pick. The writing appeared to be on the wall for Burris, and today the axe fell. Burris joins quarterback Christian Hackenberg as the only members of the Jets’ 2016 draft class that are not currently on the 53 man roster.