Tag: Zack Kuntz

Jets place Duane Brown on injured reserve, sign Zack Kuntz

The Jets placed Duane Brown on injured reserve and signed tight end Zack Kuntz to the active roster.

The Jets placed offensive tackle Duane Brown on injured reserve for the second time this season. With only two games left, this ends Brown’s season and now brings into question Brown’s future in the NFL.

The Jets signed tight end Zack Kuntz to the active roster in a corresponding move. Kuntz, the Jets’ seventh-round draft pick, spent the entire season on the practice squad. With Jeremy Ruckert out with a concussion, Kuntz will serve as the No. 3 tight end Thursday behind Tyler Conklin and Kenny Yeboah.

The Jets gave Brown a two-year, $22 million contract before the 2022 season. Injuries limited him to just 15 starts of a possible 34. The 38-year-old is set to become a free agent and his recent laundry list of injuries will bring into question whether he will come back for a 17th season. Brown was one of the best left tackles of this generation, but a plethora of injuries such as his shoulder, back and groin derailed the last two years of what was a great career.

New York also added kicker Austin Siebert to the practice squad. With Greg Zuerlein questionable with a quad injury, Seibert provides insurance for Thursday. Seibert kicked in place of an injured Zuerlein in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys and made his only field goal attempt.

6 Jets to watch in preseason Week 2 vs. Buccaneers

The Jets face the Buccaneers in Week 2 of the preseason and we have 6 players to watch in Saturday’s matchup.

After holding joint practices with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, the New York Jets will take on Todd Bowles’ squad on Saturday for their third preseason contest. Each week is an opportunity for players to earn roster spots and there is less than a month until the regular season kicks off.

The Jets shut out the Carolina Panthers 27-0 in last week’s exhibition game following a 21-16 loss to the Cleveland Browns in the Hall of Fame Game. With the Jets gearing up for another preseason matchup on Saturday, here are six players to keep an eye on versus the Buccaneers.

ESPN says ‘don’t sleep on Zack Kuntz’ despite deep tight end room

What are your thoughts on the tight end room for the Jets?

One of the most intriguing picks from the Jets’ 2023 draft class was their last one. Saving the best for last, perhaps?

That pick was Old Dominion tight end Zack Kuntz, selected No. 220 overall and a player that brings a lot of upside to the offense. He’s also extremely athletic. Almost perfectly athletic as his Relative Athletic Score was a perfect 10.00.

He could make some noise on the Jets and that thought is shared by ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler, who shared some post-draft buzz on ESPN and believes he has a chance to crack the roster, despite how deep the tight end room is right now.

Don’t sleep on seventh-round tight end Zack Kuntz, whose 94 athleticism score (out of 100) ranks seventh among all tight ends who have entered the league since 2003, according to Next Gen Stats. “He’s 6-foot-7 and can fly vertically,” said a veteran NFL scout of the former Penn State player who transferred to Old Dominion. “Seems to be past some of the immaturity that plagued him at Penn State.”

The Jets’ tight end room is pretty deep: C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin are entrenched as starters, Kenny Yeboah is far from a throwaway and Jeremy Ruckert was a third-round pick a year ago. But if Kuntz can flash early, perhaps New York could move one of its four tight ends in the preseason.

The Jets rolled with four tight ends for a good portion of the season last year. It’s very unlikely they would go to five and keep everyone. But who gets cut? The Jets like Yeboah and they’re not ready to give up yet on Ruckert. But if the Jets cut Kuntz, there’s almost no chance they’ll be able to stash him on the practice squad. Someone is going to claim him. This is going to be one of the more intriguing camp battles.

Zaire Barnes, Zack Kuntz ink their rookie contracts

Jets now have four of their seven draft picks signed.

The rookies continue to get locked in for the Jets. Two more draft picks, Zaire Barnes and Zack Kuntz, have signed their contracts, leaving just three rookies left to sign.

Barnes was New York’s sixth-round pick, No. 184 overall followed later by Kuntz in the seventh round, No. 220 overall.

Barnes is expected to compete for a role on special teams as a rookie while Kuntz is seen as a potential steal in the 7th with his incredible size and athleticism, posting a perfect 10.00 Relative Athletic Score.

The three remaining picks left to sign are their first three picks, Will McDonald IV, Joe Tippmann and Carter Warren.

2023 NFL Draft: The best draft steal for every NFL team

Every NFL draft has its selection of steals — those players who could surprise despite their low selections — and here’s one for every NFL team.

One of the many reasons the Kansas City Chiefs won Super Bowl LVII was the job that general manager Brett Veach did outside of the first round of the 2022 draft. Three defensive backs (Bryan Cook in the second round, Joshua Williams in the fourth, and Jaylen Watson in the seventh) were difference-makers all season, and seventh-round running back Isiah Pacheco became the team’s bellcow back down the stretch. Also, second-round receiver Skyy Moore joined Pacheco with touchdowns in that Super Bowl victory over the Eagles.

First-round hits are nice, but it’s almost worse to miss in the first round than it is better to win there from an opportunity cost perspective. If you want to refresh your roster at a championship level, you had better get those picks right on the second and third day. Veach and his staff did that, and it was the difference that made all the difference in the end.

Moving to the 2023 NFL draft, we’ve selected one second- or third-day pick for every NFL team who could have a similar impact on their NFL roaters sooner than mater. Each of these players have reasons for their relatively low picks in line with their tape, stats, and talent, but these are the kinds of finds that can turn a team around over time.

Meet the Jets draft class for 2023

Your 2023 Jets picks

The New York Jets have wrapped up their 2023 NFL Draft and wound up with seven picks overall after a couple of trades on Day 3. The Jets added help along the offensive line, getting after the quarterback and a big target late. Here’s the Jets’ draft class for 2023.

Instant analysis of Jets selecting Old Dominion TE Zack Kuntz

Thoughts on Zack Kuntz?

The Jets potentially found themselves a big target for quarterback Aaron Rodgers in the 7th round of the 2023 NFL Draft. They selected Old Dominion tight end Zack Kuntz with the 220th pick of the draft, likely the Jets’ final pick of the draft.

Kuntz is an athletic freak. At six-foot-seven and 255 pounds, Kuntz had the best scores at the Scouting Combine in the vertical jump (40″), broad jump (10’8″) and three-cone (6.87) as well as the second-best 40-yard dash (4.55), short shuttle (4.12) and bench press (23 reps). All this after coming off a torn ACL suffered last season. causing him to miss the final seven games of the season.

In 2021, Kuntz caught 73 passes for 692 yards and five touchdowns. Kuntz led the team in receiving that season as he found success at Old Dominion after following Ricky Rahne to ODU after he took the coaching job following his time at Penn State.

Kuntz has the ACL injury and will be 24 years old, but he has the opportunity to be a big target in the Jets’ offense. The tight end room is a bit full now with C.J, Uzomah, Tyler Conklin, Jeremy Ruckert and Kenny Yeboah also in the mix, but this is a lottery ticket absolutely worth scratching for the Jets. He could be fun to watch if things work out.

Jets select Old Dominion TE Zack Kuntz at No. 220

Jets select Old Dominion TE Zack Kuntz at No. 220

With likely their final pick in the 2023 NFL Draft, the Jets select Old Dominion tight end Zack Kuntz with the 220th pick.

Kuntz is a big man, six-foot-seven and 255 pounds but turns 24 years old in June. Kuntz played two years at Old Dominion after three years at Penn State. In 2021, Kuntz caught 73 passes for 692 yards and five touchdowns, leading the Monarchs in receiving. He was also named First-Team All-CUSA.

Kuntz also ran a 4.55 40-yard dash with a 6.87 three-cone, which is incredible for a player his size, especially one that is coming off a torn ACL.

Tight end was a potential Day 3 option for the Jets and they find big value potentially, literally and figuratively, with their final pick in the draft.

A TE target for Dolphins to consider in the sixth round

An option for a need on Day 3.

The Dolphins sit at pick No. 197, and, with need still at tight end, they enter the sixth round with multiple picks until their selection.

Looking at this specific position, they currently have Durham Smythe, who’s earned an opportunity to enter 2023 as a starter. Smythe is a workman-like player who can block and finished last season with a 75% catch rate.

Additionally, Miami signed Denver Broncos free agent Eric Saubert, and they have tight end/wide receiver Tanner Conner on the roster as well. Adding a project could be a smart move, and when looking at the speed dynamic of the Dolphins’ offense, Old Dominion’s Zack Kuntz could be a perfect Day 3 steal.

Projected by many as a fourth or fifth-rounder, the sixth would be extreme value for Miami getting Kuntz, who actually graded as the NFL Combine’s top-rated tight end in Athleticism Score. He also ranked seventh in Total Score and 11th in Production Score.

Clearly a great athlete, Kuntz was a track and field star, specifically in hurdles, and could be a great project to develop. He ran a 4.55-second 40-yard dash, jumped a 40-inch vertical and put up 23 bench press reps. His broad jump was 10-foot-8-inches, his three-cone drill was done in 6.87 seconds and the 20-yard shuttle was finished in 4.12 seconds.

He has tremendous size at 6-foot-7 and 255 pounds, and he can play several receiving areas of the field. Blocking, however, is a work in progress, and while that may not sit well with Miami fans, there’s another aspect of irony to this tight end.

Starting his career at Penn State, he decided to transfer to Old Dominion and ended up becoming a First Team All-Conference USA player in 2021. While coming off an injury in 2022, Kuntz was on pace to replicate his strong 2021. Setback aside, Kuntz could be solid stash value, especially if he can last to pick No. 197.

Kuntz is perfect for a fast offense as a potential complementary and timely weapon but could be someone who may have some work to do before making a full-time roster.

Regardless, he’s well worth a flier in the sixth round.

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Five bold predictions for the Eagles in 2023 NFL draft

We’re looking at five bold predictions for the Philadelphia Eagles in the 2023 NFL draft

The smoke screens and guessing games are finally set to end, as the Carolina Panthers will be on the clock in a little over 35 hours from now.

The draft started in Mobile, and on Thursday at 8 p.m., three months of analysis and visit will conclude with franchise-altering selections in the first round.

Howie Roseman is bold and loves to move up and down the draft board, and we’re predicting five big moves centered around Philadelphia.