Jelani Woods’ NFL career started well, but Jelani Woods has had a lot of bad luck in recent years. Now the tight end gets another chance from the New York Jets, where he may have a new advocate.
The New York Jets announced on Thursday that they have extended Jelani Woods’ expiring contract. He came to the Jets via waiver wire in August last year and played four games last season. He played 60 snaps on offense and 12 snaps on special teams.
Returning to the field was special for Woods, as he missed the 2023 and 2024 seasons with thigh and foot problems.
At the time he was still under contract for the Indianapolis Colts, where he played a decent rookie season in 2022. He produced 312 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 15 games. He also knows Frank Reich from his time in Indianapolis, who was his head coach at the time and is now the new offensive coordinator of the New York Jets.
Video: Cologne tight end impresses at the NFL Combine
NFL: Jets keep two more players
In addition to Woods, two other players will remain with the Jets. The team announced that it will retain both linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball and defensive tackle Jowon Briggs via exclusive rights free agent tenders.
As a result, the Jets keep both players off the free agent market and negotiations with other teams are prohibited. The Exclusive Rights Tender can be used for players who do not have three credited NFL seasons but still have an expiring contract.
Briggs had 38 tackles in the preseason, eight of them for loss of space, as well as 36 pressures and four sacks. McCrary-Ball particularly attracted attention on the special teams, where he was even appointed captain. However, due to an injury, he only played five games last season.
