New York Jets Sign Familiar Veteran Journeyman at Defensive Line

The New York Jets made a move on Friday to bolster their defensive line now that a veteran tackle is on injured reserve.

Aug 10, 2024; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets defensive tackle Bruce Hector (98) celebrates after a sack during the first quarter against the Washington Commanders at MetLife Stadium.

The New York Jets made a move to bolster their defensive depth on Friday, as they announced the signing of defensive lineman Bruce Hector.

The signing was to the Jets’ active roster, so he will be available for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals.

New York (3-6) needed additional help up front after they moved veteran tackle Leki Fotu back to injured reserve after he suffered a knee injury.

Hector was part of two other announced moves, as the Jets signed kicker Anders Carlson to the practice squad and cut Riley Patterson.

Hector has done three different stints with the Jets since he was first signed to the practice squad in 2023. The latest started this season after they cut him from the preseason roster and signed him to the practice squad.

New York elevated him once earlier this season and he had three tackles in their Week 4 loss to Denver. But, by signing him off the practice squad, it appears their intention is to keep Hector around for multiple weeks.

The South Florida product went undrafted in 2018 and has bounced around the NFL for several years. He’s been rostered with Philadelphia, Arizona, Carolina, Tennessee, Detroit and Houston. In fact he’s done multiple stints with the Texans, the Jets and the Eagles.

The most games he’s played in any one season was his rookie year with Philadelphia in 2018. He’s managed to play a season’s worth of NFL games, with one start, and has 11 tackles, 0.5 sacks and two quarterback hits.

At one point in 2023 he was drafted by the XFL’s Arlington Renegades but was released so he could sign with the Jets.

The Jets signed Fotu this offseason in the hopes that he would give them depth at the interior tackle position. But he’s really never gotten any momentum this season.

He suffered a preseason hamstring injury that put him on injured reserve to start the season and he returned in mid-October. He then suffered a knee injury against New England, one of several Jets to suffer an injury in that game.

Due to the short week leading up to the Houston game last Thursday, Fotu did not practice and the Jets made the move to put him back on IR.

The Jets don’t believe Fotu’s season is over, but he won’t be able to re-join the team for a few more weeks. That could give Hector his most extensive opportunity for playing time since his rookie season.