Breaking: Jets’ Special Teams Get a Massive Boost! Former All-Pro KR Joins the Fold
It was easy to forget that Israel Abanikanda was still on the New York Jets‘ 53-man roster.
After all, the 2023 fifth-round draft pick was a healthy scratch for each of the season’s first 12 games.
On Monday afternoon, the Jets decided to move on from the second-year running back who departs with only 70 career rush yards to his credit. Creating a roster spot in order to sign running back, and kick returner, Kene Nwangwu off the Practice Squad, New York released the Brooklyn-born Abanikanda.
Nwangwu, a former fourth-round pick who was banged up this past summer, signed a P-Squad contact with the Jets at the start of the regular season. He was a gameday elevation for the first time in Week 13 and was marvelous on special teams against the Seattle Seahawks.
The 26-year-old Nwangwu forced a fumble on kick coverage and proceeded to return a kickoff 99 yards for a touchdown as the Jets built a 21-7 first-half lead. Rediscovering his past prowess, the Minnesota Vikings’ 2021 draft pick earned All-Pro honors in 2022 when he took 35 kickoffs for 920 yards.
“Kene, just what a tremendous story. The guy has worked his butt off as a late and earned this [opportunity] to be up and so excited for him and that entire unit to get him home and to score like we did,” said interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich on Monday morning.
Meanwhile, Abanikanda, the 2022 Atlantic Coast Conference rushing champion, was unable to carve out a role for his hometown team. Criticized for his inability to pass protect, the former Pitt star was unable to get on the field at the pro level. He made six appearances as a rookie in 2023 but seemingly fell out of favor by failing to develop on schedule.
It was telling that the Jets did not bother to try Abanikanda as a kick returner, an area where he has success as a collegian. When the NFL announced its new kickoff format, team brass looked right over the former No. 143 overall draft pick and signed reclamation project Tarik Cohen.
