Final Cuts | Jets Move 37 to Get Their Roster to 53 Players

The Jets’ initial 53-man roster is set.

General manager Joe Douglas and his personnel staff made 37 moves ahead of Tuesday’s 4 p.m. Eastern deadline.

In a crowded defensive line room, undrafted free agents Leonard Taylor III, Eric Watts and Braiden McGregor all made the team. They flashed throughout the summer, highlighted by their performance in the preseason finale against the Giants where they combined for 4 sacks against their local rival.

Veteran pass rusher Takk McKinley, who led the Jets with 2.5 sacks last Saturday, also made the initial 53-man roster as Douglas kept 10 defensive linemen (Jermaine Johnson is listed as a linebacker).

“I know in the past I’ve made mistakes on the field, off the field, but everybody can grow,” McKinley, a first-round pick in 2017, said after Saturday’s game. “I am very thankful that [DC Jeff Ulbrich] gave me the opportunity just to show the Jets organization what I’m capable of. He’s a great man because he didn’t have to do that. Every day in training camp, I gave it my all. In the game I gave it my all and we’ll see what happens.”

Israel Abanikanda made the cut at running back, coming off an impressive performance against the Giants where he had a 45-yard touchdown run and finished with a team-leading 83 rushing yards. The Green & White’s stable also consists of Breece Hall and rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis.

On the initial 53-man roster, the Jets are carrying two quarterbacks — Aaron Rodgers and Tyrod Taylor — and 10 offensive linemen.

The Jets placed DT Leki Fotu and TE Kenny Yeboah on injured reserve, and they will miss at least the first four weeks of the regular season. Rookie QB Jordan Travis has been placed on the reserve/non-football injury list.

“His rehab is going to be a little longer than we anticipated, but he’s in a great place,” Robert Saleh said of Travis, who broke his leg last November while playing for Florida State. “He’s in every meeting, he goes to all the walkthroughs. Hopefully it’s something we can revisit later in the year.”

Douglas & Co. can start to fill out the Green & White’s practice squad Wednesday afternoon once the waiver window is closed.