Jets Sign LB James Burgess To Practice Squad

The New York Jets shuffled the deck on the practice squad yesterday, bringing back linebacker James Burgess and releasing offensive lineman Ben Braden.

James Burgess is a 25 year old, 6’0”, 230 pound linebacker out of Louisville. He was originally signed as an undrafted free agent by the Miami Dolphins in 2016. After the Dolphins cut him Burgess had brief stays on the practice squads of the Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Los Angeles Chargers and Cleveland Browns in 2016. In 2017 Burgess made the Browns’ 53 man roster and earned a starting position. With the Browns Burgess showed a penchant for high impact plays, with four sacks, seven quarterback hits and 12 tackles for loss in 14 games, nine of which he started. The Browns brought Burgess back in 2018, but he was injured and waived with an injury settlement by the Browns early in the season.

James Burgess spent the 2019 pre-season with the Jets. Perhaps his biggest moment in the pre-season was an interception and return for a touchdown against the Atlanta Falcons that sealed a Jets victory. Burgess was cut by the Jets just prior to the start of the 2019 season. With C.J. Mosley dealing with a groin injury this move looks like insurance against the possibility Mosley could be sidelined for longer than expected.

To make room on the practice squad for Burgess, the Jets cut offensive lineman Ben Braden. Braden has been in Jets camp each of the last three pre-seasons without making much of an impact.