The New York Jets need to make some big moves over the coming months to get their team moving in the right direction. Over the last year, the Jets have moved backwards.
In free agency last offseason, the Jets took a shot on Justin Fields as their next franchise quarterback, but it didn't pay off whatsoever. The Jets struggled to get their offense going while Fields was one of the worst startign quarterbacks in the league. As a result, they benched him halfway through the year.
But they also entered a rebuild at the trade deadline, which included trades that sent Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts and Quinnen Williams to the Dallas Cowboys . This pair of trades seem to suggest the Jets are heading for a new era of football.
If you like our content, choose Sports Illustrated as a preferred source on Google.
But before they could get the rebuild off the ground, they lost one of their former seventh round picks to the division rival Miami Dolphins .
Aug 9, 2025; Green Bay, Wisconsin, USA; New York Jets tight end Zack Kuntz (88) runs the ball after catching a pass during the second half against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images | Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images
On Friday, the Dolphins announced they had signed former Jets tight end Zack Kuntz to a futures contract.
Kuntz, 26, was originally the Jets' seventh round pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. He's a freak athlete who stands at 6-foot-8 and weighs over 250 pounds. As a result, the potential to be a star is there. He has the size and athleticism to make waves, but he hasn't been able to put the pieces together to this point.
With the Jets, Kuntz appeared in two games. He only recorded three snaps on offense and 10 snaps on special teams across those two years. He struggled to find a spot on the Jets roster last season, which resulted in him failing to appear for any team in 2025.
With the Dolphins having multiple tight ends heading to free agency, it makes sense to take a flier on Kuntz. He has the size and frame to be an NFL tight end. He's seemingly far from a polished product, but there's a chance Miami can squeeze some potential out of him.
More NFL: Jets Linked to $52 Million Star CB to Replace Sauce Gardner
This article was originally published on www.si.com/nfl/jets/onsi as Jets Lose 26-Year-Old Tight End to Division Rival Dolphins .
