The Jets have signed QB Brady Cook and DB Jordan Clark to the active roster ahead of Sunday's game vs. the Dolphins. The Green & White also placed CB Jarvis Brownlee Jr. and LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball on injured reserve, and the team elevated DBs Tre Brown and Nik Needham from the practice squad to the active roster.
Cook (6-2, 215), who is being elevated for a third time, will be the team's backup behind Tyrod Taylor. QB Justin Fields, who has started nine games this season and was Taylor's backup the past two games, experienced knee soreness in practice Wednesday, was limited Thursday and then ruled out on Friday.
"He's a very fiery guy," HC Aaron Glenn said of Cook. "And the one thing that we do quite a bit in practice is we have a number of competition periods, and you see exactly how he goes about his business when his time comes up to really be in that situation to compete. He looks forward to it, he always asks when those opportunities are going to come for him to get a chance to do it, and we make sure to give him those reps, so he's a very competitive guy. He's going to be a quarterback in this league."
One of 15 UDFAs to sign with the Jets on May 9, Cook completed 65.8% (25 of 38) of his passes in the preseason for 235 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT. He was added to the practice squad on Aug. 27. Cook, who went 26-12 as a starter at Missouri from 2022-24, threw for 8,591 yards, 46 TDs and 15 INTs while completing 64.6% of his passes. The St. Louis native also had a career 1,209 rushing yards. A team captain in 2024, he's the only player in Missouri football history with a pass, run and catch of at least 75 yards.
"I think this rookie year I've seen big jumps, which is probably normal," Cook said on Friday. "You get here, it feels like a lot, it feels like a lot is thrown at you. And as the weeks go by, as you kind of watch how Tyrod, watch how Justin, watch how they go about it, how they learn the offense, how they handle everything. It's becoming a lot smoother, to say the least."
Clark (5-9, 184) signed with the Green & White as an undrafted free agent in May, was waived after final roster cuts in August and re-signed to the practice squad the next day. Clark, who played collegiately at Arizona State and Notre Dame, was elevated for Week 13 against the Falcons. He played 11 special teams snaps in the win.
Brownlee (5-10, 194) was acquired by the Jets in a trade with the Tennessee Titans in September. The 2024 fifth-round pick has appeared in 7 games for the Green & White this season, recording 36 total tackles, 2 pass defenses and 1 forced fumble. Brownlee, who is dealing with a hip injury, last appeared in the Jets' Week 12 loss to the Ravens.
McCrary-Ball (6-0, 214) was initially placed on injured reserve after sustaining a hamstring injury during the Jets' Week 3 loss to Tampa Bay. McCrary-Ball was activated from injured reserve on Nov. 22 and appeared in the Green & White's Week 12 and 13 games. McCrary-Ball has recorded 23 tackles and 1 TFL this season.
Brown (5-10, 185) was signed to the practice squad on Nov. 11. A fourth-round draft selection of the Seahawks in 2021, the Oklahoma product spent 4 seasons in Seattle. He appeared in 39 games (13 starts), recording 74 tackles, 8 pass defenses and 2 INTs. Brown signed with the San Francisco 49ers in March, but he was placed on injured reserve in August before being released with an injury settlement in September. Brown then signed with the Los Angeles Rams and appeared in 5 games, playing 60 snaps on special teams. He was released by the team on Oct. 28.
Needham (6-1, 196) was signed to the Jets practice squad on Sept. 16. He originally signed with the Dolphins as an undrafted free agent out of UTEP in May of 2019. Needham appeared in 63 games for Miami from 2019-2024 and totaled 200 tackles, 25 pass defenses, 6 INTs, 6 quarterback hits and 3 sacks. Needham spent last season on the Dolphins' practice squad and was elevated to the active roster three times, appearing in two games. Needham was signed by the Browns in April and released in August.
