Nick Bawden Goes from Mid-Week Aaron Rodgers Roster Casualty to Gameday Elevation

Veteran fullback back in the fold for Week 16 matchup at MetLife Stadium

Nick Bawden hasn't missed a game yet this season and that won't change this week against the Washington Commanders.

After signing the veteran fullback to the Practice Squad on Friday, the New York Jets have designated Bawden as one of two gameday elevations for their December 24 home finale.

"Bawden’s back with a good chance of being elevated on gameday," said Jets' head coach Robert Saleh while sharing the team's intentions on Friday.

Bawden, a vested veteran, lost his 53-man roster spot on Wednesday, allowing the team to activate rehabbing quarterback Aaron Rodgers. As expected, he officially rejoined the organization two days later in a P-squad role but is eligible to be elevated for each of the Jets' final three regular season games.

Through 14 games, Bawden has seen 104 snaps on offense with the bulk of his work coming on special teams (266 snaps). Bawden logged 28 plays in a Week 15 road loss to the Miami Dolphins before being released. 

The 27-year-old fullback is responsible for one of the team's 13 offensive touchdowns—a one-yard plunge in Week 3 against New England. Bawden has two carries for four yards and two receptions for 13 yards.

The Jets also elevated linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball for Sunday's non-conference contest against the Commanders. He made his Green & White debut in Week 11 at Buffalo, playing exclusively on special teams (19 snaps). 

McCrary-Ball, who initially joined the Jets' P-Squad on August 31, was elevated for a second time last week in Miami but landed amongst the gameday inactives. He entered the league as an undrafted free agent in 2022, spending his rookie campaign as a San Francisco 49ers' P-Squad player.

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