Jets Promote Veteran QB to Fill Roster Spot, Welcome Familiar Face Back to Practice Squad

Trevor Siemian promoted to No. 2 status, veteran cornerback returns to team

The New York Jets announced two personnel changes on Tuesday as they prep to host the Miami Dolphins on Black Friday.

As expected, the Jets filled the one vacant spot on their 53-man roster by signing veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian off their Practice Squad. Siemian, who will turn 32 years old on December 26, fills the backup QB role behind starter Tim Boyle in Week 12.

"Trevor will be the immediate backup," said Jets' head coach Robert Saleh on Monday afternoon.

Siemian will be active on gameday for the first time since inking a P-Squad contract on September 26.

In a subsequent move, the Jets re-added depth cornerback Craig James to the 16-player Practice Squad. The team released James, who has appeared in two games this season, from the P-Squad ahead of last week's trip to Buffalo.

Siemian, who made one start for the 2019 Jets, spent the 2022 season with the Chicago Bears. The journeyman joined the Cincinnati Bengals in the offseason and competed for the team's backup job behind Joe Burrow. He went 36-of-65 passing for 316 yards and two interceptions over three preseason games. After choosing Jake Browning over Siemian, the Bengals cut the 31-year-old on August 29.

Siemian has accumulated 7,207 pass yards while accounting for a 58.9 completion percentage over 35 career appearances. He owns a 42:28 touchdown-to-interception ratio. The 2015 seventh-round draft pick made 14 starts for the 2016 Denver Broncos, accounting for an 8-6 record and 3,400-yard passing season. Siemian owns a 13-17 all-time record as an NFL starter.

James played in all four preseason games for the Jets this past August. After failing to survive the final cutdown, the 27-year-old landed on the Practice Squad. He was a gameday elevation in Weeks 5 and 6. 

James, who has 23 career regular season games to his credit, logged 14 snaps in the Week 5 road win over Denver. He was needed in a greater capacity the following week against Philadelphia. Helping bottle up quarterback Jalen Hurts in a 20-14 victory, James logged 41 defensive snaps. The battle-tested defensive back recorded one solo stop and one pass defensed.

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Jets' Practice Squad (Updated Nov. 21)

CB Kalon Barnes

S Trey Dean

OL Jake Hanson

CB Tae Hayes

DL Jalyn Holmes 

CB Craig James 

TE Zack Kuntz

LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball

WR Lance McCutcheon

OL Xavier Newman

OL Rodger Saffold

DL Marquiss Spencer

WR Malik Taylor

RB Xazavian Valladay

DT Perrion Winfrey 

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