The New York Jets wrapped up their final mandatory minicamp practice on Thursday, June 12.
Before the team departs for a 40+ day break, the Jets made several roster moves, including signing former Buffalo Bills defender Kingsley Jonathan.
“We have signed G Marquis Hayes and DE Kingsley Jonathan to the active roster. Additionally, we have waived G Zack Bailey and DB Tre Swilling,” the Jets posted on X previously Twitter.
Additionally, we have waived G Zack Bailey and DB Tre Swilling.
Jets Switch Things up on 90-Man Roster Ahead of Training Camp
Jonathan, 27, entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022. He spent three seasons with the Bills and had brief stints with the Chicago Bears and the Houston Texans, respectively.
He has appeared in 20 total games during his career, but Jonathan has yet to start a game.
The undrafted rookie out of Syracuse now has two big run stops against the Bears today. He’s playing meaningful snaps for a playoff team.
The former Syracuse product has been a rotational player on defense, but showed in 2023 that he can contribute on special teams, appearing in 52% of the snaps.
“The Syracuse product went undrafted in 2022 but was the first overall pick in the 2022 CFL Global Draft, which is limited to a pool of non-Canadian and non-American players. Kingsley, who grew up in Baltimore, was born in Nigeria. Jonathan signed with the Bills in 2022 and had a stint with the Bears as a rookie before he returned to Buffalo. He played in 15 games for the Bills over three seasons and totaled 6 tackles and 3 QB hits on 121 defensive snaps,” Jets team reporter Ethan Greenberg shared in a press release.
Jets Swap out Offensive Linemen
One of the moves the Jets made was a one-for-one swap. They dumped interior offensive lineman Zack Bailey and swapped him for an available guard in Marquis Hayes.
“Bailey signed a reserve/future contract with the Green & White in January after he was elevated for the Jets’ Week 18 game against the Dolphins. He originally signed with the Buccaneers out of South Carolina as an undrafted free agent in 2019 and spent one-and-a-half seasons with the Bucs before practice-squad stints with the Vikings (2020-21), the Colts (2021), the Commanders (2021-22) and the Chargers (2022-23),” Greenberg revealed.
Hayes, the offensive lineman the Jets signed in place of Bailey, has some intriguing tools at 6-foot-5 and 318 pounds.
He originally entered the NFL as the No. 257 overall pick in the seventh round of the 2022 NFL draft.
Hayes spent two seasons with the Arizona Cardinals, and then last season was split between the Cardinals, Washington Commanders, and the Green Bay Packers.
The Jets’ offensive line on paper is the best they have had in 15 years. In addition to the youth and star power, the Jets have great depth on the interior with Josh Myers and out at tackle with Chukwuma Okorafor.
However, you can never have enough offensive linemen. With all of the injury issues in the trenches over the last couple of years, one of these developmental pieces could prove to be an important cog in the machine.
Jets Sign Former Bills Defender Hours After Final Minicamp