'Hard Knocks' Favorite Returns to Jets' Practice Squad, Bumping Emergency Cornerback
Tanzel Smart is the ultimate survivor. The 29-year-old defensive tackle is back with the New York Jets as a member of the Practice Squad.
After releasing Smart from the 53-man roster on Monday, the team re-signed the veteran to a P-Squad deal on Wednesday. In a corresponding move, the Jets released cornerback Craig James, who was a two-time gameday elevation earlier this season.
Smart, who has spent much of the past 3.5 seasons as a Jets' Practice Squad member, was signed to the active roster for the past two weeks. He totaled 28 defensive snaps and one tackles over a two-game span against the Chargers and the Raiders.
The undersized Smart initially entered the league as a sixth-round draft pick by the Los Angeles Rams in 2017. He made 31 regular season appearances for the Rams before the team released him during the 2020 offseason. Subsequently catching on with the Jets, Smart has become a fan favorite despite his reserve status.
Depicted as a fun and loving underdog by HBO's Hard Knocks documentary series, Smart gained popularity during Episode 3 of 5 this past summer. The 6-foot-1 Smart has totaled eight regular season appearances and nine tackles for the Jets since 2020.
After spending the 2022 season on the Practice Squad, James played in all four preseason games this past August. He landed back on the P-Squad for a third time on October 3 and proved extremely valuable when the Jets were without Sauce Gardner, D.J. Reed and Brandin Echols for a short time.
James, who has 23 career regular season games to his credit, logged 14 snaps (13 ST, 1 DEF) in the Week 5 road win over Denver. He was needed in a greater capacity the following week against Philadelphia. Helping bottle up quarterback Jalen Hurts in a 20-14 victory, James logged 41 defensive snaps. The journeyman defensive back recorded one solo stop and one pass defensed.
Jets' Practice Squad (Updated Nov. 15)
CB Kalon Barnes
S Trey Dean
OL Jake Hanson
CB Tae Hayes
DL Jalyn Holmes
TE Zack Kuntz
LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball
WR Lance McCutcheon
OL Xavier Newman
OL Rodger Saffold
QB Trevor Siemian
DL Tanzel Smart
DL Marquiss Spencer
WR Malik Taylor
RB Xazavian Valladay
DT Perrion Winfrey
READ MORE:
49ers Kick Tires on Chris Streveler, Jets Standing Pat at QB
Second-Year DT Joins Jets' P-Squad after Offseason Legal Issues
Grizzled Veteran Joining Jets' P-Squad as OL Reinforcement
