Getty New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh speaking during his media availability.
The New York Jets just cut down its quarterback room.
The team announced on Wednesday, May 22 that they parted ways with rookie passer Colby Suits. The 6-foot-4, 240-pound passer first joined the Jets roster after impressing during a tryout at rookie minicamp back on May 5.
In a corresponding move, the Jets added tight end Kevin Foelsch.
We have signed TE Kevin Foelsch and released QB Colby Suits.
Another QB Move Could Be Coming for the Jets This Offseason
With Suits being thrown out the door, that leaves the Jets with only four quarterbacks on the roster, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.
#Jets roster moves: They signed rookie TE Kevin Foelsch (New Haven), who was cut recently by the Panthers. They released QB Colby Suits, leaving four QBs.
Those four remaining passers are Aaron Rodgers, Tyrod Taylor, Jordan Travis, and Andrew Peasley.
Rodgers is 40 years of age and is coming off of a torn Achilles. Taylor is 34 and will turn 35 before the start of the 2024 season. Travis is coming off of a gruesome leg fracture during his final season at Florida State and it’s unclear when he will be fully cleared for football activities. Peasley was an undrafted rookie free agent from April’s 2024 draft.
Considering the veteran rest days and the uncertainty of Travis’ recovery timeline, the Jets are going to need another arm to get them through the offseason.
At a bare minimum, they will need someone for training camp in July, but they could use someone else to get them through OTAs and mandatory minicamp in June.
An Interesting Dart Throw by the Jets at Tight End
The corresponding move that sent Suits packing was the addition of Foelsch, a 6-foot-4 tight end who tips the scales at 250 pounds. Foelsch went undrafted in the 2024 draft out of the University of New Haven.
Shortly after the draft, he inked a UDFA contract with the Carolina Panthers. However, he was cut three days later, according to the Jets’ press release.
NFL reporter Aaron Wilson was the first to report the news of the Foelsch-Jets signing on social media.
“Jets signed former New Haven and Panthers tight end Kevin Foelsch following a successful tryout, per a league source. Ramsey, N.J. native caught Foelsch 73 career passes with 16 touchdowns,” Wilson said.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic said the competition for tight end No. 3 is going to be interesting to watch this summer.
The top two tight ends on the depth chart seem secure with Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert. However, the next spot appears to be totally up for grabs between Kenny Yeboah and Zack Kuntz.
“The Jets didn’t wind up adding any tight ends in the draft, despite all the noise about interest in Brock Bowers. So they’ll roll with Tyler Conklin and Jeremy Ruckert, the 2022 third-round pick who should be ready to take a leap into a bigger role,” Rosenblatt said.
He continued, “Yeboah is beloved by the coaching staff and has a role on special teams, while Kuntz has all the physical and athletic tools but didn’t stand out in training camp last year. He got a lot of time on the scout team playing with Rodgers at the end of last season, which can’t hurt his cause.