After initial 53-man rosters were finalized across the league Sunday, the Jets went to the waiver wire Monday and were awarded two players – K Blake Grupe and LB Trevin Wallace. The team also released K Jason Sanders and waived OL Kohl Levao.
Grupe, 5-7, 157, spent the summer in Indianapolis and was released on Sunday. Initially joining the Colts' practice squad last December, Grupe was added to the active roster on Dec. 10 and played the final five games of the 2025 season. He hit on all 11 of his field goal attempts including a franchise-long 60-yarder against the Seahawks.
An undrafted free agent who began his college career at Arkansas State and ended at Notre Dame, Grupe signed with the New Orleans Saints following the 2023 NFL Draft. Appearing in 45 games for the Saints from 2023-25, Grupe connected on 75-of-94 field goal attempts (79.8%) and was 86-of-88 on point after attempts. In New Orleans, Grupe was 15-of-23 on field goal attempts longer than 50 yards and had a long of 57 yards.
Last season in New Orleans, Grupe was 18-0f-26 on field goal attempts before he was released by the Saints on Nov. 25. In 50 career games, Grupe has converted on 81.9% (86-of-109) of his field goal attempts and 98% of his extra points (96-of-98).
Wallace, 6-1, 244, played the past two seasons with the Carolina Panthers. A third-round pick (No. 72 overall), the Kentucky product started 12 games in 2025 and totaled 61 tackles, 4 PDs and 2 FF. In two pro campaigns, Wallace appeared in 25 games (20 starts) and amassed 125 tackles and 3 sacks.
Sanders, 5-11, 186, signed with the Jets in March and connected on his first two field goal attempts in preseason play. He missed an extra point and was unsuccessful on a 54-yard field goal try against the Giants. Sanders, who missed the 2025 season due to a hip injury, ranks No. 3 in Dolphins franchise history with 826 points. His 84.6% field-goal percentage is the highest (minimum 50 attempts) in team annals.
Levao (6-6, 350), who played in college at Hawaii, was initially signed by the Jets in June 2024. He signed a Reserve/Futures contract the following January and spent the 2025 season on the practice squad. Levao dressed in two games last season – Week 10 vs. Cleveland and Week 18 at Buffalo. After he was not selected in the 2022 NFL Draft, Levao spent time playing in the UFL for San Antonio in 2024, playing in all 12 games and making the All-UFL team.
