The New York Jets have brought a fan favorite back.
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic revealed on X that the Jets are signing pass rusher Nate Lynn to the active roster from the practice squad. In a corresponding roster move, the Jets have placed Braiden McGregor on injured reserve. He will miss the rest of the season with a torn pec.
With Lynn gone, the Jets had an open spot on the practice squad that they’re using to reunite with rookie defender Nathan Voorhis.
Lynn Quickly Became a Fan Favorite
On August 18, the Jets signed Lynn to the 91-man roster. The 6-foot-3, 252-pound pass rusher got a shot with the Detroit Lions in 2024 on Aaron Glenn’s defense, but he hurt his shoulder and missed the entire year spending it on IR. This
“[He] played collegiately at William & Mary and finished his career ranked second in school history in sacks (28) and third in TFL (40). He was also the Tribe’s career record holder for forced fumbles with 12 before going undrafted in 2024,” Jets senior reporter Eric Allen wrote.
Lynn quickly acquainted himself with Jets fans by making an immediate impact in the preseason. “In two preseason games with the Jets, Lynn posted a team-high six pressures, three sacks and an 86.5 PFF grade, seventh among 173 EDGE defenders with 30-plus snaps,” Connor Long of Jets X-Factor posted.
Despite being with the Jets for such a short period of time, many fans wanted him to make the 53-man roster over McGregor. The Jets didn’t feel the same way. Lynn was waived, cleared waivers, and returned to the team on the practice squad.
When Lynn was let go, the overriding message from beat reporters was that Lynn just didn’t have enough time to crack the 53-man roster. If he had been afforded more time, perhaps he could have stolen someone’s roster spot.
Now fans get what they wanted with him jumping to the 53-man roster.
Before McGregor got hurt, he appeared in 18% of the defensive snaps this season for the Jets. Lynn figures to get that same slice of the pie and maybe more.
Kingsley Enagbare missed the Week 4 matchup against the Chicago Bears due to a knee issue. Enagbare’s status for Week 5 hasn’t been revealed yet.
The Jets Don’t Stop There
Placing McGregor on IR and signing Lynn to the 53-man roster was the obvious move. That doesn’t mean it was the wrong move.
The Jets shouldn’t stop there; they need more pass rush help. On Tuesday, October 6, the Jets worked out a pair of pass rushers:
- Nathan Voorhis
- Vincent Anthony Jr
After a successful workout, the Jets ended up signing Voorhis to the practice squad, who spent the summer with the Jets after going undrafted in April.
The Jet Press mentioned that he “Grew up a Jets fan.”
“Anthony is a UDFA out of Duke who spent time with the [Kansas City] Chiefs and [the] [San Francisco] 49ers,” they continued.
For Week 5, the Jets are going to see if their in-house replacements can handle the McGregor void. Not a bad plan on short notice; however, the team should remain on the lookout if new opportunities present themselves.
Jets Sign Fan-Favorite, Reunite With Rookie Defender