As many fans of the New York Jets suspected, the team signed a former New York Giants receiver to bolster their depleted receivers.
The surprise is that the signed wideout was not Darius Slayton, as many fans thought. Instead, the Jets reached way back to bring aboard Sterling Shepard.
The former second-round pick of the Giants joins the Jets from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, where he spent the last two seasons in a reserve role. He played the first eight seasons of his NFL career with the Giants, playing 90 games with Big Blue. During that stint, he had 23 touchdowns and 4,095 receiving yards.
The Shepard signing follows news that rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. is going to be out for a while. Cooper suffered a high ankle sprain during opening day against the Tennessee Titans. High ankle sprains are notoriously hard to recover from, especially for skill position players that rely on burst, quick cuts and downfield speed. He is listed as week-to-week in the injury report.
The Jets were already thin at receiver, as Tim Patrick was on injured reserve with a groin pull. That will keep him out at least for the first four games. Isaiah Williams and Arian Smith are also receivers on the active roster.
Shepard was signed to the Jets practice squad, but likely will be elevated on game days.
Shepard played in 13 games in 2025 for Tampa Bay. He had 39 receptions for 371 yards. He moved on to the Houston Texans training camp this year, but was cut in early summer.
In his prime, Shepard was a decent No. 2 for the Giants, playing in the shadow of a young Odell Beckham Jr.
The Jets also signed receiver Tyler Johnson to the practice squad. He played 12 games for the Jets in 2025, hauling in 12 catches for 197 yards and a touchdown.
