The Jets announced the signing of another draft pick on Friday morning.
Sixth-round offensive lineman Anez Cooper has agreed to a four-year deal with the team. Four of the team’s picks have signed, including first-rounder Kenyon Sadiq. Their other first-rounders — edge rusher David Bailey and wide receiver Omar Cooper — remain unsigned.
Cooper started every game at guard for Miami last season and he made 45 overall starts for the Hurricanes.
The Jets also announced the signing of 12 undrafted free agents. They are Toledo running back Chip Trayanum, Wyoming running back Sam Scott, Arizona State wide receiver Malik McClain, Louisville wide receiver Caullin Lacy, Rutgers wide receiver DT Sheffield, TCU tight end Chase Curtis, Colorado offensive lineman Xavier Hill, Ball State edge rusher Nathan Voorhis, UTSA linebacker Kendrick Blackshire, BYU cornerback Mory Bamba, BYU kicker Will Ferrin, and BYU long snapper Garrison Grimes.
The Jets have now signed three of their eight 2026 draft picks.
They announced that fourth-round quarterback Cade Klubnik and seventh-round safety VJ Payne have signed their four-year rookie deals. First-round tight end Kenyon Sadiq also signed on Thursday.
Klubnik started 40 games at Clemson and was the fifth quarterback selected in this year’s draft. Geno Smith is the starter for the Jets and Klubnik joins Brady Cook and Bailey Zappe as backup options, although the team has spoken to Russell Wilson about joining that mix.
Payne started all 52 games that Kansas State played over the last four seasons. He had 196 tackles, 10.5 tackles for loss, four interceptions, four forced fumbles, one fumble recovery, and one sack for the Wildcats.
The Jets will hold their rookie minicamp this weekend, so there could be word of more signings in the near future.
Two weeks ago tonight, the Jets made three picks in the first round of the draft. One of them is now under contract.
The Jets have announced that tight end Kenyon Sadiq, the 16th overall pick in the 2026 draft, has agreed to terms.
The Jets also selected edge rusher David Bailey with the No. 2 overall pick. They traded back into round one to pick receiver Omar Cooper Jr. at No. 30.
“Sadiq was a player that, obviously we studied, spent a lot of time on and valued as an offensive weapon and when he was there it was really a no-brainer for us, just to add another weapon to the offense,” G.M. Darren Mougey said, per the team’s official website. “And [offensive coordinator Frank Reich’s] got a great vision for the player and how we can use him in multiple ways and get in 12 personnel, and do different things and just use him as another weapon and make it tough on the defense.”
The 2011 CBA has made it much easier to get rookie contracts finished. Previously, the process of signing first-round picks didn’t begin until after July 4. Now, most players agree to terms before Memorial Day.
All players should expect their contracts before they set foot on the practice field for the rookie minicamp. Work is work. There’s no sense in going to work without officially being an employee.
The Jets opened up three spots on their 90-man roster Thursday, but they only parted ways with two players.
Defensive lineman Paschal Ekeji has been designated as an international player, which means he does not count against the 90-man limit. He will also have a roster exemption if he lands on the team’s practice squad this fall.
Ekeji was born in Lesotho and played rugby in South Africa before deciding to try his hand at football.
The Jets also waived offensive lineman Gus Hartwig and safety Chris Smith. Hartwig spent last season on injured reserve while Smith played for the Raiders and Rams before joining the Jets last December.
The 2025 season did not go well for quarterback Geno Smith.
But he is set for a fresh start with the Jets, coming back to the team that drafted him after a decade elsewhere in the league.
His new offensive coordinator, Frank Reich, is also back in the pros after his last coaching stint with the Panthers lasted just 12 weeks.
On Wednesday, Reich noted that Smith is a “perfect” fit for his offensive scheme.
“I’ve liked Geno from Day 1,” Reich said in his press conference, via transcript from the team. “When he was coming out of West Virginia, I had a high grade on Geno. I had not met Geno before here, and I’m kind of glad because I’m even more impressed with him, now meeting him in person. I feel his resilience, his toughness, I always think the No. 1 attribute in any quarterback that you need, especially if you want to come and turn something around, is you need someone who’s tough. I mean tough mentally, tough physically, and I feel that from Geno on every front.
“I think his experience, the ups and downs that he’s been through, and he’s had great success, and had to deal with some tough seasons, and if you play in this league long enough, everyone’s going to face that. And if you are the person, if you’re the right kind of leader, then you come out of it better, and I think that’s the version of Geno Smith we’re getting. We’re getting the best version of who he is, and I think his best football’s ahead of him.”
From 2021-2024, Smith started 52 games for Seattle, leading the club to a 28-24 record while completing 68.5 percent of his passes for 12,928 yards with 76 touchdowns and 36 interceptions. If Smith is better than that, then the Jets will be in a much better position to have success in 2026.
