Jets Country

Jets Lose 26-Year-Old Tight End to Division Rival Dolphins

The Jets never found a spot on the roster for former seventh round pick Zack Kuntz...
Zach Pressnell|
Dec 7, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; A general view of a Gotham City football rivalries helmet resting on the field before the game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
Dec 7, 2025; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; A general view of a Gotham City football rivalries helmet resting on the field before the game against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

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New York JetsMiami Dolphins

The New York Jets need to make some big moves over the coming months to get their team moving in the right direction. Over the last year, the Jets have moved backwards.

In free agency last offseason, the Jets took a shot on Justin Fields as their next franchise quarterback, but it didn't pay off whatsoever. The Jets struggled to get their offense going while Fields was one of the worst startign quarterbacks in the league. As a result, they benched him halfway through the year.

But they also entered a rebuild at the trade deadline, which included trades that sent Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys. This pair of trades seem to suggest the Jets are heading for a new era of football.

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But before they could get the rebuild off the ground, they lost one of their former seventh round picks to the division rival Miami Dolphins.

Zack Kuntz still has potential despite a rocky NFL start

New York Jets tight end Zack Kunt
Aug 9, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; New York Jets tight end Zack Kuntz (88) runs the ball after catching a pass during the second half against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images

On Friday, the Dolphins announced they had signed former Jets tight end Zack Kuntz to a futures contract.

Kuntz, 26, was originally the Jets' seventh round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He's a freak athlete who stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs over 250 pounds. As a result, the potential to be a star is there. He has the size and athleticism to make waves, but he hasn't been able to put the pieces together to this point.

With the Jets, Kuntz appeared in two games. He only recorded three snaps on offense and 10 snaps on special teams across those two years. He struggled to find a spot on the Jets roster last season, which resulted in him failing to appear for any team in 2025.

With the Dolphins having multiple tight ends heading to free agency, it makes sense to take a flier on Kuntz. He has the size and frame to be an NFL tight end. He's seemingly far from a polished product, but there's a chance Miami can squeeze some potential out of him.

More NFL: Jets Linked to $52 Million Star CB to Replace Sauce Gardner

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Zach Pressnell
ZACH PRESSNELL

Zach Pressnell has experience covering all major US sports at both the professional and collegiate levels. He’s produced content for FanSided, Blog Red Machine, The Game Haus, Bethany College Athletics and the Bethany College online newspaper, He graduated from Bethany College (WV) with a degree in Communications and Media Arts, specializing in Sports Journalism. Pressnell was also a four-year member of the baseball team where he earned himself All-PAC recognition as a pitcher (and a cool Tommy John surgery scar). Now, Pressnell specializes in NFL and MLB coverage for Sports Illustrated’s “On SI” network among others. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "New York Jets On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org

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