Jets QB Room Adds Brady Cook as Rookie Camp Begins After Jordan Travis’ Retirement

The New York Jets opened rookie minicamp in Florham Park with major updates to their quarterback room and several roster changes across the board. On Friday, the team officially signed former Missouri quarterback Brady Cook as one of their undrafted free agents. This move followed the unexpected retirement of second-year quarterback Jordan Travis, who announced his decision just one week earlier.

Travis, 24, had been a fifth-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. He suffered a serious lower leg injury on November 18, 2023, during his final game for Florida State. After extensive rehabilitation, doctors advised him to retire from professional football. The injury did not respond to treatment as expected, and Travis decided to step away before taking a snap in the NFL.

To replace him, the Jets brought in Brady Cook. He played 38 games at Missouri and recorded 8,591 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, and only 15 interceptions. The consistent performance and leadership earned him a shot in the NFL, joining a quarterback group that includes Justin Fields, Tyrod Taylor, and Adrian Martinez.

Along with Cook, the Jets signed 13 other undrafted rookies, adding three wide receivers: Quentin Skinner from Kansas, Jamaal Pritchett from South Alabama, and Dymere Miller from Rutgers.

In the backfield, the team signed Michigan running back Donovan Edwards, known for his speed and explosive plays. Up front, Purdue center Gus Hartwig was signed to help add depth to the offensive line.

On defense, the Jets signed two defensive tackles: Payton Page from Clemson and Fatorma Mulbah from West Virginia. At linebacker, they brought in three players—Ja’Markis Weston from Florida, Aaron Smith from South Carolina State, and Jared Bartlett from Cincinnati.

In the secondary, they added Dean Clark from Fresno State and Jordan Clark from Notre Dame, both competing for roles in a crowded defensive backfield. They also signed Ole Miss kicker Caden Davis, who will compete on special teams.

Since the Jets had to make room on the roster, they had to release three players. Linebacker Jimmy Ciarlo, a 6-foot-2, 225-pound Army graduate from Ringwood, New Jersey, was originally signed in 2023 as an undrafted free agent. He started 24 games for the Black Knights and served as a co-captain. He was waived last August but rejoined the team this offseason before being released again.

Wide receiver Easop Winston was also released. The 5-foot-11, 190-pound Washington State product joined the Jets in January after finishing the 2024 season on their practice squad. Winston has previously spent time with the Rams, Saints, Browns, and Seahawks, and played in three games for the Saints in 2021.

Marcus Riley, another wide receiver, was also let go. Riley, 5-foot-11 and 175 pounds, played at Florida A&M and signed with the Jets as an undrafted free agent after the 2024 draft. He had been waived in August and re-signed earlier this year.

One of the more personal storylines to emerge from camp is that of linebacker Giovanni Williams. Attending the Jets’ rookie minicamp as a tryout player, Williams is the younger brother of current Jets defenders Quinnen Williams and Quincy Williams. Giovanni played at Miles College, a Division II HBCU in Fairfield, Alabama. He plays the same position as Quincy and hopes to earn a spot on the roster, which would make the Williams brothers a trio on the same NFL team.

While the roster was changing, all eyes were also on Aaron Glenn, the Jets’ new head coach. Glenn returned to the team where he started his NFL career as a rookie cornerback in 1994. That year, he was the Jets’ first-round pick under then-coach Pete Carroll. Now, three decades later, Glenn is back—not as a player, but as the head coach responsible for the entire roster.

Previously, Glenn worked as a defensive backs coach in New Orleans and served as the defensive coordinator in Detroit, though this is his first time leading a team. He’s been active across all positions during minicamp, offering instruction and feedback to quarterbacks, running backs, linemen, and defenders.

Glenn hasn’t fielded many questions yet about the Jets’ 14-season playoff drought — the longest active streak in the NFL — but he knows it’s part of the job. His approach has emphasized communication, fundamentals, and accountability. And while it’s still early, players and coaches have said the tone around the team already feels different.