A 6-foot-7 New York Jets pass catcher is making noise at training camp.
Head coach Aaron Glenn was asked about Jelani Woods’ role moving forward, especially considering the depth of the room.
“Yeah, there’s a number of things that you can envision him doing for us. The one thing, and I’ll go back, once you say his name, I always go back to Jacksonville and just watch the way he blocked. If you get a chance to go back and watch that game, just watch it, and just watch how physical, how tough, man the way he was bending. For a 6’7” guy, the way he was bending and getting underneath guys,” Glenn explained to the media.
“So, he has that to be a really good Y-tight end, but the thing that you can do with him, you can split him out and let him go one-on-one with a safety, a linebacker, and I’m expecting him to win that matchup. So, he’s another guy that’s improved from last year going into this year, and again, I like that tight end room because they all bring something different to the table, you know? So, we’re able to take advantage of that,” Glenn added.
Beat Reporters React to His Performance in Practice
Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic noted that Monday’s practice resulted in “Heavy usage for Jelani Woods. Four targets total across both QBs, three catches.”
“Active day for TE Jelani Woods,” ESPN’s Rich Cimini commented.
When I attended practice on Saturday, August 1, Woods also stood out.
Rookie quarterback Cade Klubnik found Woods twice for touchdowns during a red zone situational drill.
Woods didn’t get to flash his receiving game much with the Jets last season. He joined the team when he was claimed off waivers from the Indianapolis Colts in late August in 2025.
He ended up appearing in four games and made one start. With those opportunities, Woods was targeted three times, and he caught one reception for four receiving yards. He registered just 60 offensive snaps and 12 special teams snaps.
Path to Opportunities in 2026
Last year, the Jets picked him up because of potential. Woods is 6-foot-7 and weighs 253 pounds. Not many players are walking around with that size. He also had a high pedigree as a former No. 73 overall pick in the third round.
This year, there is an even stronger connection with Frank Reich coming aboard as the new offensive coordinator.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini said Reich was “instrumental” in drafting Jelani Woods when he was on the Colts in 2022 as the head coach via the “Jets Collective” podcast.
That’s all well and good, but the only hiccup is the lack of opportunities. The Jets’ tight end room is loaded.
Mason Taylor was a top-50 pick. Kenyon Sadiq was the 16th overall pick in the first round. Jeremy Ruckert just recently signed a two-year, $10 million contract extension. Then there is Woods.
Woods, 27, will turn 28 during the 2026 season. This offseason, he chose to re-sign with the Jets on a one-year, $1.17 million deal.
Woods has a path to being the No. 4 tight end on the 53-man roster. He has the size to be a key blocker in jumbo personnel. Additionally, if injuries befall the position, Woods has proven to be a red zone monster, utilizing his unique size to box out defenders.
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