Adrian Martinez, QB, joins the Jets
The Jets signed former UFL quarterback Adrian Martinez, the team announced before Saturday’s practice.
They also signed cornerback Kendall Sheffield and waived quarterback Ben Bryant and cornerback Nehemiah Shelton in corresponding moves.
Martinez played with the Birmingham Stallons this spring, earning UFL MVP honors while passing for 1,749 yards and 15 touchdowns and leading the league with 528 rushing yards. The Nebraska/Kansas State product, who went undrafted in 2023, initially signed a free agent deal with the Lions and spent last preseason with them.
Martinez appeared in 49 college games from 2018-22 and hit on 63.6 percent of his passes for 9,752 yards with 51 touchdowns.
Sheffield was a fourth-round pick of the Falcons in the 2019 draft. He appeared in 38 games with 20 starts with Atlanta from 2019-21 and totaled 101 tackles, six passes defensed and two forced fumbles.
Who’s next to get paid at the quarterback position?
Last season, Sheffield had short stints on the practice squads of the 49ers and Titans.
Jets defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich coached Sheffield with the Falcons in Sheffield’s first two pro seasons.
Bryant, who played collegiately at Cincinnati, Eastern Michigan and Northwestern, signed with the Jets on Thursday.
Shelton had rejoined the Jets on Tuesday. He spent time last summer with the Jets after a stint with the Memphis Showboats of the UFL.
Shelton was a member of the Jets’ practice squad last fall.
