The New York Jets made a flurry of roster moves on Tuesday, which meant they had to make some room, choosing Jaden Keller and Xavier Newman as the unfortunate castoffs ahead of Week 2.
“We’ve … released LB Jaden Keller and OL Xavier Newman from the PS,” the Jets announced in a post on X on September 15.
Again, it was a busy day for the Jets.
They also announced that they signed practice squad defensive back Jordan Clark to the 53-man roster, and added former New England Patriots defensive back John Saunders and wide receivers Sterling Shepard and Tyler Johnson to their practice squad.
Additionally, we’ve signed WR Sterling Shephard, WR Tyler Johnson and S John Saunders to the practice squad. We’ve also released LB Jaden Keller and OL Xavier Newman from the PS
Each of the moves is at least partly related to injuries. Clark gets a promotion amid an injury to Minkah Fitzpatrick, while Shepard and Johnson arrive amid an issue with Omar Cooper Jr.
The Jets are at home against the Green Bay Packers in Week 2.
Jets Move On From Jaden Keller, Xavier Newman
The Jets signed the 6-foot-3 Keller as a college free agent who made his name in college by doing the dirty work on defense.
“The Virginia Tech linebacker’s game is built on recognition — reading a run before the handoff, closing the gap before the ball carrier can hit it and arriving at the spot with enough force to make the play unambiguous. It is unglamorous work. It is also exactly the kind of work that keeps linebackers employed in the NFL for a long time,” On SI’s Lucas Boyd wrote in April.
“Keller is not the linebacker archetype that commands draft capital in the first two days. He is not the rangy coverage hybrid who can shadow a tight end down the seam or match up with a running back in space. What he is may be less fashionable but perhaps no less valuable: a run-stopper with the potential capability to move between multiple spots in the box and the closing speed to make plays downfield.”
Boyd also cited Keller’s “speed inside the box,” saying it is what separates him from other run-stopping linebackers. He can play either side of the formation, diagnose run plays quickly and arrive at the point of attack with conviction.”
Newman, a 6-foot-2 interior lineman, is another former UDFA.
In his fifth NFL season, Newman began his career with the Tennessee Titans, spending his career there until the 2023 season. The Titans waived Newman on October 2 that year, and the Jets scooped him up three days later.
Jets Cut Ties With 6-Foot-3 Linebacker, Former Titans Offensive Lineman