Reviewing the status of ex-Jets with their new teams - Part One

As preseason gets underway, it’s time to review the status of ex-Jets that are signed to other teams around the league. We begin today with a look at ex-Jets on other AFC teams and then will look at the NFC next week.

As ever, this list is intended to be exhaustive, but if we missed anyone, let us know in the comments.

Bills:

The only two ex-Jets still on the Bills roster are defensive tackle Brandin Bryant and quarterback Davis Webb, each of whom signed a futures deal after the season.

To open preseason, Webb completed 11 of 16 for 90 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 26 yards. Bryant added a tackle for loss.

Dolphins:

Veteran Jesse Davis remains on the Dolphins roster for a sixth season with the team. He’s currently listed as their starting right tackle and started there in the first preseason game.

Patriots:

The Patriots added two key defensive contributors from the 2020 Jets in the form of defensive lineman Henry Anderson and linebacker Harvey Langi.

They also re-signed kicker Nick Folk and have tight end Matt LaCosse returning after opting out of the 2020 season. They opted not to re-sign exclusive rights free agent Quincy Adeboyejo.

Langi and Anderson both came off the bench in the preseason opener with Langi racking up 10 tackles and Anderson recording a tackle for loss. Langi also had two missed tackles.

Steelers:

The Steelers added three ex-Jets during the offseason, including defensive back Arthur Maulet, who is listed as the second team nickel. Running backs Kalen Ballage and Pete Guerriero are longshots to earn a roster spot.

Pittsburgh also opted not to re-sign linebacker Avery Williamson and have also released safety John Battle after the season, having previously signed him to a futures deal.

In the opener, Maulet led the Steelers with four tackles and Guerriero rushed for 20 yards on seven carries but Ballage did not play.

Browns:

The Browns made two minor additions that were former Jets when they picked up kicker Chase McLaughlin and tight end Connor Davis. They also resigned receiver/return specialist Jojo Natson and gave Montrel Meander a futures deal.

Offensive lineman Blake Hance was a late-season waiver claim who ended up being thrown into the fire due to injuries in the playoffs. He remains on the Browns’ roster but they did cut Sheldon Richardson.

In the first preseason game, Natson and Davis didn’t make much of an impact but McLaughlin made a field goal and two extra points. Hance started at right guard but Meander did not play and was released after the game.

Bengals:

The Bengals are currently the only NFL team who haven’t had an ex-Jets player on their roster since the end of the season.

Ravens:

The Ravens picked up tight end Eric Tomlinson late last year and re-signed him after the end of the season. He started the first preseason game.

Titans:

The Titans brought in a slew of Jets’ cast-offs during the offseason, including kicker Sam Ficken and safety Matthias Farley from last year’s team. They also added linebacker BJ Bello, offensive lineman Brent Qvale and defensive lineman Trevon Coley.

They already had edge rusher Wyatt Ray on the roster and opted to re-sign the emerging tight end Anthony Firkser.

In game one of preseason, Ray showed some promise as he had seven tackles and six total pressures, including 1.5 sacks. In addition, Ficken made three kicks, Qvale played well off the bench, Coley had three tackles and half a sack and Bello and Farley each had a special teams tackle. Qvale, Bello and Coley were placed on injured reserve after the game though.

Since the game, the Titans have also signed safety Bradley McDougald.

Colts:

The only player on the Colts’ roster who was a former Jet is safety Ibraheim Campbell, who signed a futures deal after the season. He had four tackles in the first preseason game.

Texans:

The Texans brought in even more ex-Jets than Tennessee did during the offseason, headlined by defensive starters Jordan Jenkins and Neville Hewitt. Hewitt is actually listed as a third-stringer on the team’s official depth chart though. However, Kevin Pierre-Louis is listed as a starter after being signed from Washington.

Safeties Terrance Brooks and Shyheim Carter will compete for a role in the secondary while receiver Andre Roberts will probably have a better chance of contributing on special teams.

The Texans had a few other ex-Jets on their roster already but they opted not to re-sign Qvale and released Josh McCown and Chad Hansen. They had also signed wide receiver Donte Moncrief in March but released him in July.

Jenkins and Hewitt started the first preseason game but had just one tackle between them as Hewitt gave up a big play in coverage. Carter had three tackles and a tackle for loss off the bench and Brooks added two tackles. Roberts and Pierre-Louis did not play.

Jaguars:

The surprise addition to the Jacksonville roster was former Jets punt protector Tim Tebow who was cut after one preseason game as he tried to make Jaguars’ team as a tight end. They also had safety Doug Middleton under contract but released him in May.

Tebow was targeted once and the ball went through his hands and was intercepted although the replay booth changed it to incomplete. He also looked overmatched as a blocker.

Chiefs:

Former Jets sixth-round pick Elijah McGuire has never played for the Chiefs but he’s had two lengthy spells on their practice squad and collected a Super Bowl ring back in 2020. They re-signed him at the end of March and he had 30 yards on three touches in the first preseason game but was placed on injured reserve a few days later.

The Chiefs opted not to bring back Le’Veon Bell or Kelechi Osemele, neither of whom has been signed elsewhere yet.

Raiders:

The Raiders are giving another shot to former first-round pick Darron Lee. The linebacker played in just two games last season. He had three tackles, including one on special teams in the opener.

Chargers:

The Chargers signed former Jets draft pick Oday Aboushi during the offseason and it might be the first time he’s entered any season as a presumptive starter. Aboushi is listed as the first team right guard after doing a good job in eight starts with the Lions. The 30-year old has now made 42 career starts.

Cornerback Tevaughn Campbell worked his way into the Chargers’ rotation in the secondary last year and was unsurprisingly re-signed as an exclusive rights free agent.

The Chargers also had former Jets punter Lachlan Edwards on their roster but he was cut after the first preseason game. In that game, Campbell had three tackles but Aboushi did not play.

Broncos:

The Broncos picked up Teddy Bridgewater via trade to compete with Drew Lock for the starting quarterback role with the Jets scheduled to face Denver in September.

They also brought back three ex-Jets, including Shelby Harris, who has established himself as a key contributor on the defensive line.

Cornerback Nate Hairston and exclusive rights free agent Calvin Anderson, who made the first two starts of his career on the offensive line in 2020, were re-signed.

Tight end Jordan Leggett had been signed to a futures deal after the season but has since been released.

In the preseason opener, Bridgewater completed 7-of-8 for 74 yards and a touchdown and Hairston had three tackles. Anderson started at right tackle and did well but Harris did not play.

As noted we’ll be back with a breakdown of the ex-Jets on NFC teams’ rosters next week.