The New York Jets have made a lot of headlines lately for losing some players including their starting quarterback and his best friend forever , Davante Adams. But the Jets decided today to keep two of their own in the building, even if it isn't some of the bigger names set to hit free agency.
The Jets tendered offensive lineman Xavier Newman and wide receiver and special teams guru Irv Charles.
In the NFL, being "tendered" refers to a team offering a one-year contract to a restricted free agent (RFA), which comes with a right of first refusal and potential draft pick compensation if the player signs with another team.
Charles, nicknamed "The Wolf" on special teams, had 5 tackles on special teams in the 2024 season, which was tied for the most on the Jets. Charles was placed on injured reserve Dec. 11 with a torn ACL sustained on a punt-coverage snap against the Miami Dolphins in Week 14.
He first signed with New York in 2022 as an undrafted free agent out of Indiana (PA) and spent his rookie season on the practice squad before he made the 53-man roster the following year. Charles had a blocked punt in Week 2 against the Titans and took 214 snaps on special teams and 10 on offense last season.
Charles is a true special teamer and one of the guys who won’t show up often in the box score or highlight reels but is a key part of the third phase of the game.
Newman played in 9 games for New York last season. He first joined the Jets practice squad in the 2023 season before he was signed to the active roster. Newman, who originally signed with Tennessee as an undrafted free agent out of Baylor in 2022, has appeared in 16 games (4 starts) over the last two seasons for the Jets and has taken 307 snaps on offense and 65 on special teams.
Newman is not going to take anyone’s job along the offensive line, but he is a valuable depth piece along the interior of the offensive line. As the Jets learned the hard way in recent years, you cannot have too much talent and depth along the offensive line.
While neither guy will grab headlines, these are both good signings that are important to build a foundation of a good team.
