Former Auburn Star Byron Cowart Lands with the New York Jets in NFL Free Agency
After making a strong comeback in the NFL during the 2024 season, defensive tackle Byron Cowart has secured a new opportunity with the New York Jets, the team announced.
Cowart returned to regular-season action for the first time since 2022 and earned his first starts since 2020 while playing for the Chicago Bears last season.
His move to New York reunites him with Eric Washington, who was the Bears’ defensive coordinator in 2024. Washington has now taken on the role of defensive-line coach under new Jets head coach Aaron Glenn.
During his stint with Chicago, Cowart appeared in 15 games, starting seven. He notched 26 tackles, a career-best 2.5 sacks, and five tackles for loss.
Becoming an unrestricted free agent on Wednesday, Cowart opted to sign with the Jets, though the terms of his contract remain undisclosed. In New York, he’ll join a defensive line that features former Alabama standouts Phidarian Mathis and Quinnen Williams.
Cowart’s football journey has been an eventful one. Once ranked as the No. 1 recruit in the 2015 signing class, he initially played at Auburn in 2015 and 2016 before departing early in the 2017 season, citing limited playing time and personal family matters. He transferred to Maryland, where he played in 2018.
The New England Patriots selected Cowart in the fifth round of the 2019 NFL Draft. After a limited role as a rookie, he earned 14 starts in his second season, recording 29 tackles and a sack while playing 419 defensive snaps.
His career took a detour in 2021 when an undisclosed injury sidelined him for the entire season. The Patriots waived him in July 2022, and he was quickly picked up by the Indianapolis Colts, where he played every game in a reserve role.
In 2023, Cowart briefly signed with the Kansas City Chiefs before being released. He later joined the Houston Texans, but they let him go before the regular season. The Miami Dolphins then added him to their practice squad in September, though he didn’t see game action.
A year ago, Cowart joined the Bears as a free agent, where he reestablished himself as a valuable defensive presence. Now, with a fresh start in New York, he looks to continue his resurgence in the NFL.
