Jets Waive Rookie Long Snapper, Sign Defensive Lineman Ben Barten
The New York Jets made a pair of connected roster moves this week, bolstering their defensive line while simultaneously putting an end to what had briefly looked like a genuine competition at long snapper.
According to the team’s official social media accounts, the Jets have waived long snapper Garrison Grimes and signed defensive lineman Ben Barten to take his place on the roster.
A Short-Lived Look for Grimes
Grimes joined the Jets earlier this year as an undrafted free agent out of BYU, and his arrival appeared to pose a legitimate threat to veteran long snapper Thomas Hennessy, who has held the job in New York since 2017. What made Grimes stand out was his remarkable athletic profile — he posted a Relative Athletic Score of 10.00, the highest ever recorded among long snapper prospects in NFL history.
Despite that pedigree, the Jets didn’t need long to make up their minds. After just two training camp practices, the team decided to move on from Grimes and stick with the proven veteran instead.
Hennessy’s track record with the Jets speaks for itself. He has appeared in all 149 games the team has played since 2017 and has racked up 29 total tackles along the way. He still has two years remaining on the four-year, $5.97 million contract extension he signed with the club, meaning his role in New York looks secure for the foreseeable future.
Enter Ben Barten
Filling the open roster spot is Ben Barten, an undrafted rookie defensive tackle out of Wisconsin. At 6-foot-5 and 324 pounds, Barten initially signed with the New York Giants after going undrafted, but was waived by that team earlier this week — opening the door for the Jets to scoop him up.
Barten’s college production backs up his size. Across four seasons and 44 games at Wisconsin, he tallied 63 total tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss, 2.0 sacks, eight pass deflections, and two fumble recoveries. His best individual season came in 2025, when he appeared in 12 games and recorded 24 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss, one sack, and two pass deflections.
Jets’ Updated Defensive Tackle Depth Chart
With Barten now in the fold, the Jets’ defensive tackle depth chart looks something like this:
- Jowon Briggs
- T’Vondre Sweat (NFI)
- David Onyemata
- Harrison Phillips
- Darrell Jackson Jr.
- Payton Page
- Mazi Smith
- Jack Heflin (UDFA)
- Ben Barten (UDFA)
What It All Means
Roster shuffles like this are routine during NFL training camp, but the speed at which Grimes was cut still raised a few eyebrows given how exceptional his athletic testing numbers were. The move signals that the Jets’ coaching staff prioritized continuity and experience at a specialized position over betting on an unproven — if physically gifted — rookie.
On the other side of the ledger, adding depth along the defensive line makes plenty of sense at this point in the calendar. As teams inch closer to the regular season, they typically look to shore up depth charts to guard against injuries or underwhelming performances from returning players. Bringing in a physically imposing, productive college player like Barten fits squarely into that strategy.
It will be worth watching how Barten performs over the rest of training camp and into the preseason as he tries to win over the coaching staff and carve out a spot on the final 53-man roster. The Jets’ defensive tackle room is already stocked with a mix of veterans and younger talent, so making the roster won’t be easy for Barten. Still, his college numbers suggest he has the tools to make things interesting as camp battles continue to take shape.
