One of the New York Jets quarterbacks has slipped through the cracks.
Ahead of final roster cuts, the Jets waived passer Adrian Martinez. He cleared waivers but then decided to sign with the San Francisco 49ers’ practice squad.
QB Adrian Martinez, most recently with the Jets, is en route to Santa Clara to join the 49ers’ practice squad,” Matt Maiocco of NBC posted on social media.
Martinez Read the Writing on the Wall, Chose to Start Fresh
The former Nebraska and Kansas State product has spent the last year and change with the Jets.
Martinez joined the Jets roster ahead of training camp in 2024.
During that preseason cycle, Martinez went 25-for-47 for 270 passing yards with zero passing touchdowns and one pick. He also had six rushing attempts for 51 yards.
Then this year, he made it all the way to the final roster cuts in 2025. He finished this preseason cycle going 30-for-51 for 352 passing yards with one passing touchdown and two interceptions. Martinez also contributed three rushing attempts for 26 yards.
In San Francisco, Martinez is set to be QB3, according to David Lombardi of The SF Standard.
In New York, he would have been QB4. The Jets have Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Brady Cook ahead of him on the depth chart.
The Power Shifted This Week From the Team to the Players
At the beginning of this week, the Jets held the cards. They decided who made the team and who didn’t. Then the power shifted to the football Gods, otherwise known as the waiver wire period. If a team decided to claim you, you were automatically sent to a new team.
However, if you went unclaimed, the power shifted to you, the player, and your representation.
That’s what happened with Martinez. He got waived by the Jets, went unclaimed, and then his football future was in his hands.
It seemed like the Jets were interested in bringing Martinez back. He spent all of last year on the Jets‘ practice squad. However, the writing was on the wall for where Martinez stood among the other quarterbacks.
So he opted for a fresh start with a new team where he’d be a rung higher on the QB depth chart.
Remains to Be Seen if Jets Decide to Add Another Arm to the Bullpen
The Jets started training camp with four arms. A week ahead of the season, they are down to three quarterbacks.
At the time of publication, the Jets still have three roster spots available on the practice squad.
One of those could certainly be used to add a passer.
“Ten of the 16 players must have no more than two accrued seasons, and the other six don’t have any limitations,” the team announced in a press release.
The only player on the Jets‘ practice squad that falls into that category is veteran pass catcher Tyler Johson. In other words, the three spots they have available could be used on a veteran quarterback if they saw fit.
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