Jets Roster Cuts Tracker 2026: Who's Out as Gang Green Dwindles to 53 Men

The Jets' preseason is officially in the rearview mirror as they shift their attention to the 2026 NFL regular season. Before Gang Green gets there, though, there's still an important annual tradition that they must deal with: the end-of-August 53-man roster deadline.

It's safe to say that the coming hours will be busy for head coach Aaron Glenn, who needs to part ways with 30-plus players to meet roster requirements. While it'll be easy to say goodbye to certain individuals after less-than-stellar preseason performances, other releases may come as a surprise to fans and experts alike. That's just the nature of the NFL, though.

The Jets' roster should be better than last year's, as general manager Darren Mougey made significant improvements on both sides of the ball. Quarterback shouldn't be as much of a concern; the linebacker room is among the best in the NFL, and there are enough offensive and defensive playmakers to make all 17 games interesting, at least.

Of course, there are areas that need improvement. For example, Jason Sanders's mistake-filled effort against the Giants on Friday resurfaced the Jets' kicking concerns.

"I didn’t like the fact that we missed these field goals, but the thing is we’re not going to panic, and we’re going to make sure that we make the right decision to make sure we either fix those issues or we get the right person in here," Glenn said following Friday's loss (h/t SNY Jets).

Aaron Glenn is asked if he's worried about the Jets' kicking situation:

"I didn't like the fact that we missed these field goals. But we're not going to panic. Either we fix those issues, or we get the right person in here." pic.twitter.com/NMgRi2iKp5
— SNY Jets (@snyjets) August 29, 2026

Whether it's moves that impact the kicking situation or other roster areas, Jets fans will soon have a better idea of what Gang Green's 53-man unit will look like. Players might eventually return to Gotham on the practice squad, but they first need to be cut to get there.

Here's a list of every roster cut that the Jets have made to get down to 53 men, with this article being updated as promptly as possible.

Jets cut tracker 2026

Name	Position	Previous team
Cade York	Kicker	Saints
Mazi Smith	Defensive tackle	Jets
Bailey Zappe	Quarterback	Browns
Dean Clark	Safety	Jets
Junior Tafuna	Defensive tackle	Texans
Jack Heflin	Defensive tackle	Rams
Nate Lynn	EDGE	Titans
Jordan Clark	Defensive back	Notre Dame
Marquis Hayes	Offensive guard	Jets
Xavier Newman	Offensive guard	Jets
Quincy Skinner	Wide receiver	Falcons

Breaking down significant Jets cuts

Connor Long of Jets X-Factor reported on Sunday that the Jets are releasing Nate Lynn. But he adds that there's "mutual interest in a practice-squad reunion" if the 24-year-old Lynn clears waivers. Lynn joined the club in Week 2 of the preseason, immediately making his presence felt with four total tackles, two sacks, and two QB hits. He followed up that performance with four total tackles, a sack, and a quarterback hit in the preseason finale against the New York Giants. Based on what he put on film over the last two weeks, it'll be interesting to see whether the Jets get him back on the practice squad or if another team picks him up.
Second-year safety Dean Clark was also waived, per ESPN's Rich Cimini. The former undrafted free agent out of Fresno State played 12 games (two starts) with the Jets last season, splitting his time between special teams and defense. Given that familiarity, it'll be interesting to see if New York brings him back as a practice squad member.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reported that the Jets will release defensive tackle Mazi Smith. The former first-round pick arrived in Gotham via the trade that sent Quinnen Williams to Dallas. That said, Smith struggled against the run in the last two preseason games (42.0 grade on Pro Football Focus), leading to his release and putting his NFL career up in the air.
The Jets quarterback room is one name lighter after releasing Bailey Zappe, according to ESPN's Rich Cimini. The surprising part isn't that Zappe was cut (his preseason left much to be desired), but that New York is fully confident in the young tandem of Cade Klubnik and Brady Cook as the QB2 and QB3, respectively. Or maybe there's another shoe that's yet to drop...

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