It's always fun to root for an underdog story. Unfortunately, in the case of this year's Mr. Irrelevant pick, Jaylen Key, his NY Jets story might have already come to a premature end.
The Jets announced on Tuesday that they had released Key, their seventh-round pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, from their practice squad to help make room for the additions of veteran defensive back Jalen Mills and former Carolina Panthers linebacker Brandon Smith.
Key became the first Mr. Irrelevant selection since 2019 to fail to make his team's 53-man roster out of training camp when he was released and re-signed to the practice squad last month.
While the odds are always stacked against late-round draft picks, Key's remarkably brief stint with the Jets is still very uncommon. You have to go all the way back to 2006 to find a Mr. Irrelevant selection who spent less time with the team that drafted him.
NY Jets cut Mr. Irrelevant from practice squad after less than a month
Key struggled at times in the summer, posting a 61.8 Pro Football Focus grade in the preseason. Still, with the Jets thin at the safety position, it was assumed that Key would be able to stick around as a developmental piece on the practice squad.
Evidently, the Jets didn't see enough progress and were already ready to cut bait. It's notable that the Jets opted to release Key and not fellow rookie safety Jarius Monroe, who was signed by the team as an undrafted free agent this past spring.
Monroe is now the only natural backup safety on the Jets' practice squad, although the addition of Mills gives the team some much-needed depth in that area. Mills is a very notable signing.
The eight-year veteran has over 100 games and 83 career starts under his belt, including 34 starts with the New England Patriots over the last three years. Mills signed with the New York Giants this past offseason but was released in August after being placed on the non-football injury list.
Now healthy, Mills could potentially earn a place on the Jets' 53-man roster in the near future. He's actually the most experienced defensive back under contract with the Jets.
It's possible the Jets bring Key back at some point in the future, especially if the team's safety room suffers an injury or two. But for now, the Jets will turn to the other members of their 2024 draft class while Key looks for a new job.
