Getty The New York Jets have released tight end Lawrence Cager.
It’s been a year and a half in the making, but the New York Jets finally activated veteran defensive end Vinny Curry on October 15.
The long-awaited return took place ahead of the Week 6 matchup with the Green Bay Packers, and was officially announced by Jets team reporter Ethan Greenberg as part of a flurry of Saturday transactions.
Included in this press release were two practice squad elevations — OT Mike Remmers and TE Kenny Yeboah — as well as an unexpected cut.
Jets Release Lawrence Cager in Vinny Curry Activation
2022 preseason star Lawrence Cager will be hitting waivers after the Jets decided to cut the former wide receiver that had been making a name for himself as a tight end this summer. It was a somewhat surprising decision considering how much head coach Robert Saleh praised the offensive mismatch during the cutdown.
After seeing 10 snaps with the offense in Week 1, Cager was a healthy scratch in each of the next four games with rookie Jeremy Ruckert taking over as the third tight end most weeks.
The WR convert had a spectacular preseason before struggling against the Baltimore Ravens. He slipped on his only target of the opener — which promptly turned into a Joe Flacco interception — and was also called for a crucial penalty.
Cager seemed to lose the confidence of the coaching staff from that point on and his release really hammers that theory home. Taking his place on the roster is Curry.
A nine-year NFL veteran before signing with the Jets in 2021, Curry lost his initial season in New York due to a “rare blood disorder that required the removal of his spleen.” After a campaign on the sidelines, the comeback story felt like a longshot to make the 53-man roster in 2022 but Gang Green decided to stash him on the injured reserve rather than cut him.
Now he’s back and with rookie pass rusher Jermaine Johnson II already ruled out in Week 6, Curry could see snaps within the D-line rotation against the Packers. The Jets now have what has to be a record-high 11 defensive linemen on the roster.
Jets Elevate Mike Remmers & Kenny Yeboah vs Packers
Saleh and the NYJ coaching staff also chose to spend both elevations in Week 6, promoting Remmers and Yeboah to the active roster against the Packers.
This will be Yeboah’s second elevation of the season and remember, NFL rules only allow three practice squad elevations per player. The tight end is a plus special teamer and will most likely see most of his action inside Brant Boyer’s unit, but he could also serve as the third tight end if the Jets choose to scratch Ruckert.
Pro Football Focus credited Yeboah with three offensive snaps during his first 2022 opportunity in Cleveland, and all three came as a blocker. He earned an impressive 88.8 grade on two pass protection snaps. He also logged 22 snaps on special teams versus the Browns, receiving solid marks (69.8) for his efforts.
The second elevation, Remmers, is a nine-year NFL veteran that’s suiting up for the first time in 2022. He only signed with the Jets on September 27 after spending the 2021 campaign with the Kansas City Chiefs. The experienced blocker did play one season in New York with the Giants in 2019 and has appeared in games for five different franchises already — the Jets being the sixth.
As they did with Grant Hermanns before his release, the Green & White will utilize Remmers as their insurance policy and backup swing tackle behind some combination of Duane Brown and either Alijah Vera-Tucker or newcomer Cedric Ogbuehi.