3 Free Agents the Jets Can Still Sign for Help Before Week 1 (Including Will Levis)

The Jets' 2026 season is officially one week away from starting, as a road matchup with former head coach Robert Saleh and the Titans looms. After a busy offseason, filled with plenty of changes from general manager Darren Mougey, Jets fans are eager to see if the new-look roster's on-field performance will match how good it looks on paper.

That said, this is the NFL we're talking about: there's always room for improvement. Everyone in the Jets organization, from Mougey to head coach Aaron Glenn, knows this, too. Certain areas of New York's roster could use some polishing, and, fortunately, there are available names out there who could lend a hand.

Here are three free agents whom the Jets still have time to sign before their Week 1 opener, starting with a recently released former second-round pick.

1. Will Levis, QB

The Jets' quarterback room is much better than it was last year, but Geno Smith and Cade Klubnik aren't without their flaws. Smith has more of his career behind him than in front and can't fight off Father Time forever, while Klubnik is an experienced fourth-round pick who will go through his growing pains.

With that in mind, Bailey Zappe is far from the ideal third-string candidate, which is likely why the Jets brought former Titans QB Will Levis in for a workout earlier this week, first reported by The Athletic's Zach Rosenblatt.

The Jets worked out two QBs today, per source:

Will Levis
Jack Plummer

It'd be for a spot on the practice squad, I'm told.
— Zack Rosenblatt (@ZackBlatt) September 3, 2026

A fresh start with the Jets is exactly what Levis needs to get his career back on track after being released by the Titans following the 53-man roster deadline. He wouldn't be thrust into the spotlight, as Smith and Klubnik already occupy the top spots on the QB depth chart. Instead, Levis could spend time honing his skills in a pressure-free environment on the practice squad.

For the Jets, the 27-year-old QB would also bring experience to the table, as Levis has 21 career starts under his belt compared to Zappe's nine. Should New York be forced to turn to a name beyond Smith and Klubnik, Levis's experience would give Glenn & Co. a better shot at winning than Zappe, whose stock already took a hit when he failed to make the initial 53-man roster. The two preseason interceptions didn't help.

Throw in the fact that he might be able to provide some intel on the Titans' offense after spending the summer with Saleh and offensive coordinator Brian Daboll, and the Jets have every reason to sign Levis soon.

2. Lucas Patrick, OG

The Jets have a solid offensive line, but it's safe to say that the interior's depth could use some bolstering. The last thing that New York needs is for the trenches to be a concern, as lackluster play or injuries in the middle of the OL would prevent Smith and star running back Breece Hall from doing their jobs.

That's why the Jets need to explore adding another veteran blocker, with Lucas Patrick as a potential candidate. The 33-year-old offensive guard battled injuries throughout training camp; however, all signs indicate that he's healthy again and ready to contribute to a team that could use the extra hand.

Patrick is far from perfect, but he brings plenty of experience, having played 4,305 offensive snaps across 113 regular-season appearances (65 starts). Injuries limited his availability in recent years, but he's still gone 1,538 offensive snaps without allowing a sack in the last three seasons. Additionally, he had 80.8 overall and 81.6 run-block grades on Pro Football Focus after playing 51 snaps with the Giants this preseason.

The Jets are young and filled with potential, but having elder statesmen around—even if it's just on the practice squad—can make the difference in the long run. Much like Levis, Patrick wouldn't be brought in as an immediate starter, but as an experienced hand who can step in should the opportunity arise later in the season.

3. Matt Prater, K

Ever since they let Nick Folk walk out the door, the Jets have spent a good chunk of the offseason looking for a new kicker. It looked like ex-Giant/Dolphin Jason Sanders was ready to run away with the job after outperforming Cade York, only for a mistake-filled preseason finale to throw a wrench into that idea and force New York to grab the recently released Blake Grupe off waivers.

While getting a new kicker is exciting, Grupe's spot isn't safe after the Jets brought Sanders back to the practice squad. At the same time, if something were to go wrong with Grupe, chances are that Gang Green fans won't have much faith in Sanders based on how his preseason ended, giving the Jets good reason to explore Matt Prater.

Matt Prater kicks ball. — Former Bills kicker Matt Prater would be a better leg to have on the Jets' practice squad than Jason Sanders. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The 2025 campaign wasn't a career year for Prater; still, he managed to go 18-of-20 on his field-goal attempts. His 90% success rate is his best effort in the last 10 seasons, aside from a perfect 6-of-6 showing in four outings with the Cardinals in 2024. A 13.1% touchback rate left something to be desired, but it's worth pointing out that it was only two seasons ago that he posted a career-high 85.0% TB rate.

As a member of the 2025 Bills, Prater kicked all three of his field-goal efforts and a trio of successful extra-point attempts against the Jets at MetLife Stadium in Week 2. It'd be great to see him repeat that success on a weekly basis in Gang Green, especially if Grupe quickly proves that he isn't the right kicker for the job.

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