The Jets made their kicking decision official Tuesday, signing Jason Sanders to the active roster and waiving Blake Grupe. Sanders was the game-day kicker for each of the first three weeks while on the practice squad. The active roster move follows what the Jets had already been doing on Sundays. Cornerback Jordan Clark was also waived, and offensive linemen Nick Dawkins and Jimmy Morrissey were added to the practice squad.

Jason Sanders

The Jets September 29 report provided this background on Sanders and Grupe:

Sanders, who leads the Jets with 20 points and has connected on 5-of-6 field goal attempts, was a practice squad elevation for each of the team’s first three games. He was successful on three field goal tries – 52, 51 and 33 yards – in Tennessee and had one make from 32 yards against Green Bay. Last week against the Lions, Sanders nailed a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter. A seventh-round pick (No. 229 overall) of Miami in the 2018 NFL Draft, Sanders, a New Mexico product, ranks No. 3 in Dolphins franchise history with 826 points. His 84.6% field-goal percentage is the highest (minimum 50 attempts) in team annals, and his 221 field goals are second only to Olindo Mare.

Grupe, 5-7, 157, spent the summer in Indianapolis and was released before the Jets claimed him off waivers on Aug. 31. Initially joining the Colts’ practice squad last December, Grupe was added to the active roster on Dec. 10 and played the final five games of the 2025 season. He hit on all 11 of his field goal attempts including a franchise-long 60-yarder against the Seahawks. In 50 career games with the Saints (2023-25) and Colts (2025), Grupe has converted on 81.9% of his field goal attempts.

There is no mystery about which kicker the Jets chose once the season began. Sanders handled the field goal attempts in Tennessee, against Green Bay and in Detroit, while Grupe remained on the roster. The team has now put Sanders on the active roster and moved on from Grupe. His strong finish with Indianapolis last season is part of the story, but it did not change the Jets game-day choice through three weeks.

The move involving Clark creates another opening on the active roster. He played in two games this season and logged 17 special teams snaps. Dawkins started 28 games over his final two seasons at Penn State, while Morrissey brings NFL experience at center and guard, including four starts with Houston. Those two additions give the practice squad more depth along the offensive line as the Jets head into Week 4.

Fans are discussing Jason Sanders and the other moves in the JetNation forum. The full Jets Roster is available as the team continues to make changes.

It hasn’t been a flawless start to the season for the Jets, but it’s certainly not been the disaster that some might have expected. A 23-10 victory against Tennessee was followed up by a heartbreaking losses to Green Bay and Detroit, although many will still be seething that they threw a lead away against the Packers. Especially considering how bad the Packers looked the following week.

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory is something that simply can’t persist if the Jets are to improve on last year’s record of three wins and 14 losses. Prediction markets think that a significant improvement this year is inevitable, with a 66% probability of six or more victories for Aaron Glenn’s team based on performances so far.

Those percentages could tempt new traders to take out contracts on New York by making the most of offers such as a Kalshi promo code. But for that to become a reality, the Jets need to make the most of their upcoming strength of schedule.

The Jets October is an opportunity to show notable improvement

Week 4 onward is hardly a cakewalk for Glenn’s roster, as they make a trip to Chicago at the start of October. But a home game after that against Cleveland is the kind of game that New York simply has to win to build confidence among the fan base. The Browns have started the year well, with a record of 2-1 after three games. But Glenn and Jets fans will still have penciled this in as a must-win game, with Cleveland widely predicted to struggle before the start of the regular season.

By the same logic, it’s just as important that New York then dominates against Miami in Week 7, which is widely considered the weakest franchise in the league this year. Both matches are a chance to show that the Green and White don’t belong among the worst teams in the league, and they need to make the most of their opportunities before matters become much more difficult.

November nightmare strengthens need for October wins

When all teams schedules were released, the Jets were listed as having one of the easiest in the league. But most fans likely still would have seen who was coming up in November and gone, “yikes!”

Las Vegas would have been circled as a winnable game prior to the start of the season, but the Raiders impressive start to the year means that this could be a difficult Sunday for the Jets. Kansas City in Week 9 will then be a real challenge for New York, with the Chiefs looking back to their old selves early on this season. Patrick Mahomes has thrown for 812 yards and seven touchdowns so far, while Kenneth Walker III has added a new dimension to the offense.

But things don’t get any easier after that. New York has a real gauntlet to look forward to against AFC East rivals Buffalo the following week, and then another tricky game against the Chargers after that. Los Angeles hasn’t impressed in the opening weeks of the season, but you would imagine Jim Harbaugh, Mike McDaniel, and Justin Herbert will turn things around before late November.

Matters could become even more difficult if injuries to players continue to impact the team, and it’s not until Week 12, when New York plays Miami for the second time, that Jets fans can truly say there’s a good chance of victory in November. The necessity of wins heading into that gauntlet, therefore, is even more important for Aaron Glenn and the Jets to prove that they are building something for the future if they plan on having jobs next season.

Today’s Jets News shifts quickly from Detroit fallout to Week 4 in Chicago. Breece Hall is week-to-week with a quad injury and appears likely to miss time, putting Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis in line for bigger roles. The bigger concern may be the offensive line, which allowed five sacks against Detroit and has failed to create much room in the run game for two straight weeks. Geno Smith remains a bright spot after throwing for 321 yards and three touchdowns without an interception, while rookie Kenyon Sadiq’s breakout continues to generate buzz. The Bears are next after a 27-7 Monday night win over Philadelphia, and the JetNation forums are already debating the run game, Geno’s future, Aaron Glenn and another close loss.

Jets News – Tuesday, September 29

The offseason mistake Jets GM deserves the most flak for (so far) – Jets X-Factor

Jets offensive line woes need to turn around after another lousy outing vs. Lions – The Jet Press

Geno Smith flipped his biggest weakness into the Jets best asset – The Jet Press

Jets running game will likely have to get ‘fixed’ without injured Breece Hall versus Bears – New York Post

NFL power rankings for Week 4: Pair of teams going in the most unexpected of directions – New York Post

Sources: Jets RB Breece Hall week-to-week with quad injury – ESPN

Ollie Gordon II and the Best Week 4 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Pickups – Bleacher Report

Latest From JetNation

Jets Blunder on OL Isn’t Getting Enough Attention – JetNation

Glenn Naughton takes aim at the decision to move Joe Tippmann from center to right guard while handing the center job to Josh Myers. The run game has fallen off badly over the last two weeks, and the pressure allowed against Detroit only added to the concern.

Geno Smith Shines but Jets Come up Short in 31-24 Loss to Lions – JetNation

Geno Smith finished 31-of-37 for 321 yards and three touchdowns, while Garrett Wilson and Kenyon Sadiq both topped 100 receiving yards. It still was not enough as the Jets run game stalled and the final drive ended with a strip sack.

Hot Topics in the JetNation Forums

Bears will Dominate Jets – JetNation Forums

Rex rips Olu to shreds – JetNation Forums

Sadiq’s 100 yard game – JetNation Forums

Rapoport: Breece Hall Week-to-Week With Quad Injury – JetNation Forums

Geno Smith future with Jets – JetNation Forums

What changes would you like to see to the run game? – JetNation Forums

Damien Woody’s top 3 takes from the Lions’ game – JetNation Forums

Lead-up To Jets/Bears Game – JetNation Forums

Gang Green Nation’s September 29 daily-links post was excluded as requested. No clearly qualifying September 29 Jets-specific story surfaced from SNY, the New York Daily News or Jets Wire during the check, so older material from those outlets was not presented as Tuesday news.

For more Jets News, Breece Hall injury updates, and discussion leading into Jets-Bears, join the conversation in the JetNation forums.

The New York Jets injury report has a few situations to monitor following the 31-24 loss to the Detroit Lions on Sunday. Aaron Glenn spoke to the media on Monday and said the biggest injury questions right now are Breece Hall and Dylan Parham, with a more complete update expected on Wednesday.

Glenn didn’t provide specifics on either injury and said the team is still waiting for more information. “I’m concerned with Breece, I’m concerned with Parham,” Glenn said. “I just don’t know the extent of what the injury is right now.”

If Hall isn’t able to go against the Chicago Bears, the Jets have Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis behind him. Glenn mentioned both backs when asked about Hall and said injuries aren’t something he is going to use as an excuse. Earlier reports on Monday said Breece Hall is week-to-week.

There was good news on Garrett Wilson. He was evaluated for a head injury during the game, but Glenn said Wilson was cleared and it won’t be an issue moving forward.

The Jets could also get some help back this week. Adonai Mitchell and Minkah Fitzpatrick both missed the Lions game, and Glenn was asked about their chances of returning against Chicago. He didn’t give a definitive answer but said the team will see where both players are as the week progresses.

“We’ll see as we get into this week to see exactly where they’re at, but looking forward to all those guys getting back and hopefully they’ll be ready to get back,” Glenn said.

D’Angelo Ponds is another player working his way back after missing time. Glenn said Ponds continues to improve and has been practicing at both nickel and outside corner. The Jets had several packages for him against Detroit, but Glenn said the game didn’t develop in a way that allowed them to use those packages as much as they planned.

The biggest names to watch when the Jets return to practice on Wednesday will be Breece Hall and Dylan Parham. That is when Glenn expects to have a better idea of where both players stand heading into the Bears game. The team will release their official Jets injury report on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday this week.

It looks as if the Jets will be without Breece Hall this weekend.  The Jets running back is reportedly week-to-week following a quad injury yesterday.

NFL insider Ian Rapoport broke the news just moments ago.

Given no room to run over the past two weeks, Hall has averaged just over two yards per carry with 29 rushes for just 61 yards.  Expect Braelon Allen to shoulder the load in the coming weeks while Hall recovers.

At some point last season, somebody somewhere hatched a plan that has failed spectacularly in regards to the New York Jets offensive line.  For some strange reason, it was viewed as a good idea to significantly downgrade the talent the Jets had at center by moving Joe Tippmann from the pivot to right guard.

Moving a young player for a veteran to take his spot is often reserved for instances in which the incoming player would be an improvement at the more important position, but not in this case.

Instead of pursuing a right guard via free agency or the draft to upgrade there and leave Tippmann in place, the Jets signed Justin Fields’ college center in Josh Myers.  A somewhat understandable move as the team looked to make Fields as comfortable as possible.  But once the Fields experiment was pronounced dead, it should have meant the end of Myers at center.

Now, the Jets’ run game is stuck after a promising opening week against the Titans. In the past two games, Breece Hall has 61 yards on 29 carries. If this pace lasts, the Jets will fail to sustain positive plays and risk becoming one-dimensional.

Reinstating Tippmann at center would help. This off-season’s O-line moves by the Jets would limit the impact; they traded up for Omar Cooper and drafted DeAngelo Ponds. An every-down offensive starter should have been the priority.

The Jets are stuck with a bad center. He would probably be a bad guard if he swapped with Tippmann. Rookie Anez Cooper was drafted on day three. But if the run game doesn’t improve, two yards per carry won’t cut it. If something changes, it should start in the middle.

Geno Smith and the Jets made the trip to Detriot in hopes of stealing a win on the road. Sadly, it was not to be. Gang Green battled back against a tough Lions team and came up short 31-24. The Jets had a chance to tie late, but Chuck Clark got a strip sack on Geno Smith.

Despite the loss, there were a few things that had Jets fans buzzing.  With so many pass catchers out due to injury, rookie tight end Kenyon Sadiq had himself a day.  His first NFL game in which he was a focal point of the offense and Sadiq pulled in seven receptions for 105 yards and his first receiving touchdown.

And that wasn’t even the top mark on the day for the Jets offense.  Garrett Wilson hauled in 10 for 107 and a score of his own.  In all, Geno Smith would finish the day 31 of 37 for 321 yards and three touchdowns.  Unfortunately, the effort was wasted as the run game and defense were no-shows.

On the ground, Breece Hall ran the ball 13 times for 32 yards (2.5 ypc) while Braelon Allen managed just 14 yards on four carries. For Hall, this puts his yards per carry over the past two weeks at 2.1 as he has posted just 61 yards on 29 rushes.  If the Jets don’t get that fixed, they’re going to have a hard time staying in games as they become a one-dimensional offense.

Geno Smith carried the offense, but the defense failed to save the day. There was too much talk about the Jets allowing the fewest yards in the NFL through two weeks. However, limiting Cam Ward and Jordan Love isn’t impressive, and the Jets would struggle against the Lions.

Detroit put up 31 points for the third time in as many weeks as Jahmyr Gibbs racked up 164 yards of total offense and three touchdowns (2 rush, 1 rec) as Jared Goff had all the time he needed to pick the Jets apart.  The Lions QB would finish 25 of 32 for 269 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Lions showed once again that they can put up points with or without the departed Ben Johnson.

At the end of the day a loss is a loss and there were a few items of concern for Jets fans to worry about.  But for those looking for Gang Green to play a more competitive brand of football as they hope to become playoff contenders in the near future, there was some reason for optimism despite the final score.

The rankings look elite. Now Aaron Glenn, Karl Dunbar and the Jets pass rush face an offense that can punish their mistakes. Through two games, the Jets rank first in yards allowed and sixth in points allowed, compared with 14th in offensive yardage and 20th in scoring. The defense has been the biggest reason for early optimism.

Aaron Glenn’s return to defensive play-calling has produced encouraging results. But before declaring the defense transformed, there is an obvious question: How much of this is the Jets, and how much is circumstance?

Tennessee was hardly a definitive measuring stick. Green Bay normally carries more weight, but the Packers struggling, injury-hit offensive line and a wet afternoon at MetLife complicate that 199-yard performance. Conditions slowed both offenses. The Jets deserve credit, but the qualifiers matter.

Detroit, averaging 31 points per game, presents a different challenge. Not an invulnerable offense, but one with far more ways to punish a defense’s mistakes.

Detroit Has More Than One Answer

Jahmyr Gibbs is the starting point. He already has 208 rushing yards and 91 receiving. Demario Davis and Jamien Sherwood must tackle reliably in space, while the front needs to control the run without constantly pulling a safety into the box.

Amon-Ra St. Brown has 19 catches, 209 yards, and four touchdowns. Nickel corner Jarvis Brownlee Jr. figures prominently when St. Brown works inside, but Glenn cannot simply leave one defender on an island. Providing help means taking it away from somewhere else.

D’Angelo Ponds could add another wrinkle. The rookie is still awaiting his NFL debut, but he practiced fully Thursday and Friday following a calf injury before remaining inactive against Green Bay. The Jets have discussed using him inside and outside. If he is active in Detroit, he gives Glenn another option against St. Brown, not an automatic answer to him. Denying Goff an easy first read could buy Bailey and the rest of the rush an extra beat. Ponds availability and workload remain questions.

Sam LaPorta and Jameson Williams complicate that choice. LaPorta has 11 catches for 100 yards, while Williams can punish a defense vertically. Andre Cisco and Dane Belton will need sharp communication and disciplined positioning. Overreact to one weapon and Detroit can attack the opening elsewhere.

The Rush Has to Beat the Clock

Detroit’s protection is not untouchable. Penei Sewell now anchors left tackle, but right tackle Blake Miller and left guard Christian Mahogany missed the Buffalo game. The Bills sacked Goff four times. On Tuesday, Dan Campbell said Miller was trending toward returning and Mahogany was expected back at practice, so the Jets cannot assume the same weakened lineup.

Goff enters with six touchdown passes and no interceptions. NFL Next Gen Stats data published by League Station puts his average time to throw at 2.80 seconds through two games. That measures snap to release on pass attempts, excluding sacks; it is not a pass-protection grade. Taking away his first read and forcing an extra hitch could be as important as the initial pass-rush move.

David Bailey’s 11 pressures are more encouraging than his two sacks alone. Next Gen Stats credited him with six pressures against Tennessee and five against Green Bay. The sacks were closer to “gimmes” than dominant one-on-one wins: running Cam Ward out of bounds and stopping Jordan Love on a broken play. Both count, but neither proves he is consistently beating NFL tackles.

Bailey has rushed mostly from the defense’s left edge, making Detroit’s right-tackle situation especially relevant. Kingsley Enagbare also has two sacks, and the Jets rank third in ESPN’s pass-rush win rate. The next test is whether that group can win quickly enough against Detroit, not merely arrive after Goff has released the ball.

The interior has a job, too. T’Vondre Sweat and Harrison Phillips need to squeeze the pocket so Goff cannot simply step away from edge pressure. Winning early downs against Gibbs would help create the longer passing situations where the rush can attack more freely.

Glenn can show extra rushers before the snap, then send only four from different spots. He can mix in stunts to test protection communication and disguise coverage to delay Goff’s decision. The goal is to manufacture hesitation without repeatedly sacrificing the defenders needed to cover Detroit’s weapons. More blitzes are not automatically the answer.

Do Not Leave Karl Dunbar Out of This

Glenn’s headset is not the only offseason change worth discussing. Karl Dunbar returned as defensive line coach after eight seasons in Pittsburgh. Jets fans remember his first stint with Muhammad Wilkerson, Sheldon Richardson and Damon Harrison, including Richardson’s Defensive Rookie of the Year season.

Dunbar has emphasized hand usage, shedding blocks and adapting to modern offenses. Those fundamentals matter when Bailey’s first move fails or a stunt requires precise timing. Two games cannot tell us exactly how much credit belongs to Glenn, Dunbar or the new personnel. But reducing the improvement to play-calling alone misses a substantial part of the story.

The Test Is Disruption, Not Perfection for Aaron Glenn & Co

Nobody should demand another 199-yard performance. Can the Jets force difficult third downs, limit explosives, and turn touchdowns into field goals? Buffalo’s four sacks did not prevent Detroit from scoring 31. Pressure has to produce stops, not just attractive numbers.

And when Detroit finds something that works, can Aaron Glenn counter?

One September game will not prove the Jets are elite, and a difficult afternoon would not erase their progress. The offense and special teams must do their part, too. But this matchup should tell us much more about whether the defensive improvement can last.

The first two games gave Jets fans reasons to believe. Making Detroit uncomfortable would give that belief a much stronger foundation.

The Jets signed wide receiver Jamaal Pritchett to the 53-man roster Saturday and elevated kicker Jason Sanders and wide receiver Sterling Shepard from the practice squad for Sunday’s game against the Lions in Detroit. The team announced all three moves ahead of Week 3. It is another shuffle of the Jets Roster, with Arian Smith and Omar Cooper Jr. on injured reserve.

Pritchett signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent in May 2025 and spent last season on their practice squad. He caught three passes for 24 yards against Tampa Bay in the 2026 preseason, according to the Jets. The team’s report says, “Sunday will be Pritchett’s first career NFL appearance.” It’s a big opportunity for a player who has been working toward that first regular-season snap.

Shepard brings a much different résumé to the receiver group. The former Giant and Buccaneer joined the Jets’ practice squad last week after playing 13 games for Tampa Bay last season, when he caught 39 passes for 371 yards and a touchdown. The Jets now have an experienced option available alongside Pritchett as they work through the injuries at wide receiver.

Sanders remains on the practice squad, but this is his third straight game-day elevation, and he has handled the kicks through the first two weeks. The Jets official stats show him 4-for-5 on field goals and 4-for-4 on extra points: he made kicks from 33, 51, and 52 yards at Tennessee, missed from 54, then connected from 32 yards against Green Bay. The 54-yard attempt is his only regular-season miss so far.

Blake Grupe is on the 53-man roster, but he was inactive for both games while Sanders kicked. Sanders spent seven seasons with Miami and went 37-for-41 on field goals in 2024 before a hip injury kept him out for all of 2025. The Jets signed him in June, released him when they claimed Grupe, then re-signed him to the practice squad at the end of August. For now, the roster spot belongs to Grupe and the kicking duties belong to Sanders.