The Jets worked out edge rushers Hau’oli Kikaha and Charles Tapper and cornerback Josh Robinson on Wednesday, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL.com (Twitter link) and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
Kikaha was the 44th overall selection in the 2015 draft, but he’s been beset by injuries and ineffectiveness during his three-year tenure. After playing on 62% of the Saints’ snaps during his rookie campaign, Kikaha missed the 2016 season with a torn ACL (the third of his football career) and subsequently saw action on only 209 defensive snaps the following year. New Orleans shopped Kikaha ahead of the 2017 trade deadline, and waived him over the weekend.
Like Kikaha, Tapper has been affected by injuries during his NFL career, as a pre-existing back condition caused him to miss his entire rookie year in 2016. He suited up for the Cowboys’ first two games in 2017, but a broken foot landed him on injured reserve in October. A former fourth-round pick, Tapper could conceivably help the Jets as a rusher off the edge, an area of weakness for Gang Green.
The Buccaneers exercised their 2018 option on Robinson in March, but released him on Sunday during final cutdowns. A seven-year veteran who’s also spent time with the Vikings, Robinson has essentially become solely a special-teamer. Robinson played on at least 50% of Tampa Bay’s special team snaps in each of the past three seasons, and saw just nine total defensive snaps during that snap. He auditioned for the Lions earlier this week.
After looking at Kikaha, Tapper, and Robinson today, the Jets are scheduled to work out free agent linebacker Zaire Anderson on Thursday, according to Herbie Teope of NFL.com (Twitter link).