8 roster ties between Patriots, Jets ahead of Week 17

Some things have changed since the New England Patriots faced the New York Jets in November. Most things, personnel-wise, have stayed the same.

Between the active rosters, practice squads and reserve lists, eight players currently in the fold have spent time with both AFC East clubs during their NFL careers.

Here’s a run through the familiar list ahead of Sunday’s 1 p.m. ET kickoff at MetLife Stadium.

NEW YORK

Andrew Beck, fullback — Signed by the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2019, Beck was waived at the NFL’s 53-man roster deadline following his rookie preseason. He would be claimed by the Denver Broncos from there and now stands 85 games and 24 starts into his run. The 29-year-old fullback by way of the Texas Longhorns has caught 30 passes for 252 yards and four touchdowns. Beck has also visited the end zone as a rusher. The league’s 2021 winner of the Salute to Service Award made stops with the Houston Texans and Green Back Packers before heading to East Rutherford last February.

Chukwuma Okorafor, offensive tackle — Okorafor has appeared in 13 games on special teams for the Jets in 2025. The reserve tackle stayed in the division in March after being released from his one-year Patriots contract a month ahead of the new league year. Okorafor’s brief stay in Foxborough brought 12 offensive snaps as the starting left tackle during the 2024 season opener. Subsequently replaced, the 28-year-old out of Western Michigan landed on the left squad list and reverted to the reserves as his roster exemption expired. The Pittsburgh Steelers selected Okorafor in the third round of the 2018 draft at No. 92 overall, and he started 59 games in the AFC North.

Liam Fornadel, guard — Fornadel signed with the Jets in training camp and is now in his second tour on the organization’s practice squad. The 26-year-old interior lineman joined the Patriots as a street free agent in 2024. He spent the majority of last campaign on the practice squad before being released with weeks remaining in the slate. Undrafted out of James Madison, Fornadel spent 2022 with the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers and has also been a member of the DC Defenders from the XFL and UFL, winning a championship last spring.

Ochaun Mathis, linebacker — The Jets added Mathis to the practice squad midway through December. The 26-year-old linebacker stands 14 games, five tackles, one forced fumble and one quarterback hit into his career. Chosen in the sixth round of the 2023 NFL draft at No. 189 overall, Mathis logged his rookie campaign between the active roster and injured reserve of the Los Angeles Rams. He moved on to Gillette Stadium the following August. After three standard elevations, he climbed from the practice squad to the 53 from October into November. Subsequently waived, the former transfer from TCU to Nebraska caught on with the Philadelphia Eagles and earned a Super Bowl LIX ring as part of the practice squad. Mathis spent time this fall with the Cleveland Browns.

Nick Folk, kicker — Folk finds himself 257 NFL games into a journey that got underway in the sixth round of the 2007 draft at No. 178 overall. The 41-year-old Arizona alum was named a Pro Bowler as a rookie. He went on be a Jet from 2010 through 2016. And now he is one again after working out and signing in July. The season has included a career-long field goal from 58 yards as well as a game-winning split of the uprights from 56 yards. Folk was part of the operation in Foxborough from 2019 through 2022, converting on 108-of-121 field goals and 116-of-127 extra points. AFC Special Teams Player of the Week was earned four times over that span, all while the veteran kicker tied for the league lead in scoring and set a league record for the most consecutive conversions from inside 50 yards. Folk’s Patriots stay ended via trade. He has also been with the Alliance of American Football as well as the Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Tennessee Titans.

NEW ENGLAND

Brandon Smith, wide receiver — The Patriots signed Smith to the practice squad in advance of the divisional rematch. The 27-year-old wide receiver entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent out of Iowa in 2021. After parts of two seasons on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad, he made multiple tours in the XFL with the DC Defenders. He then went from the Arizona Cardinals in 2023 to East Rutherford up into 2025. Three appearances followed as a standard elevation for the Jets, bringing the initial 22 snaps of his career between offense and special teams.

Morgan Moses, offensive tackle — Across all 15 starts this fall, Moses has stayed in for 95.9 percent of the offensive snaps and returned last week from a knee injury that left him questionable. The 34-year-old right tackle signed with Patriots in March on a three-year pact. Entering the league out of Virginia in the third round of the 2014 draft at No. 66 overall, Moses has appeared in 181 games and started 173. The seasoned bookend has also been a member of the Washington Commanders and Baltimore Ravens. He’s twice called MetLife Stadium home, as well. First as a free agent in 2021 and then again in 2024 as a trade acquisition, Moses tallied 30 starts while among the front five for New York.

Leonard Taylor III, defensive tackle — The Patriots signed Taylor to the practice squad in the midst of October after he cleared waivers via the Jets. He served as a standard elevation for the first time in December, notching five defensive snaps along with two tackles on quarterback Josh Allen. The 23-year-old defensive tackle entered the NFL with New York as an undrafted free agent in 2024. He made the 53-man roster and appeared in 16 games altogether, posting 27 tackles, 1.5 sacks and a pair of batted passes through 308 snaps on defense and 14 snaps on special teams.