Jets Trade Irv Charles to Champs in Another Special Teams Shakeup

Dec 21, 2025; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; Detailed view of the New York Jets helmet during warm ups before the game against the New Orleans Saints at Caesars Superdome. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Lew-Imagn Images | Stephen Lew-Imagn Images

The New York Jets are making sweeping changes to their special teams unit ahead of the start of 2026 OTAs.

As first reported by Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, the Jets are sending former special teams ace Irv Charles to the defending champion Seattle Seahawks. New York is receiving a conditional seventh-round pick as part of the deal.

Charles was considered one of the best gunners in the league over the last few seasons. In 2023, he posted a team-best 90.3 special teams grade from Pro Football Focus. In 2024, that grade was at 88. 6 before tearing his ACL late in the season.

But as he recovered from the injury last year, other younger players like fourth-round rookie Arian Smith (who posted a quality 78.1 grade on PFF) made Charles' expendable for the front office.

Now, the Jets need to focus on two key changes to their special teams room.

Jets' special teams continues to evolve

The Jets have liked Charles for some time. While he didn't play last season as he recovered from his torn ACL, special teams coordinator Chris Banjo was complimentary of him last season during the offseason.

“I don’t know who doesn’t know about Irv,” Banjo said. “If you are talking about playing football on fourth down, it is hard for anybody around the league to not know about somebody like Irv, and obviously, he did a phenomenal job last year until his unfortunate injury, but right now, he is doing his best job staying mentally sharp and prepared."

ACL injuries are always tricky to come back from. Medical doctors have told Jets on SI that the first year from the surgery is usually to get trust back into the ailing body part. It's the second year that athletes see a return to their past self.

On special teams, though, teams aren't willing to be as patient compared to other star players returning from injury. For Charles, that left him as the odd man out in New York.

He isn't the only one.

With a shift at gunner, this is now the second position Banjo will need to focus on addressing this offseason. The Jets allowed top kicker Nick Folk to leave in free agency and have a competition going on between Cade York and Lenny Krieg.

That was already going to be a focus for the Jets. While a conditional seventh-round pick is certainly some return capital on a player who may not have made the roster this year, it does open up more questions for Banjo to answer.

And put some doubt in a special teams unit that was one of the best in football last season.