The Jets have signed WR Hamze El-Zayat and RB Markese Stepp and waived RB Jacques Patrick and DL Marquiss Spencer.
El-Zayat (5-8, 179) participated in the Jets' rookie minicamp. He began his college career at Fordham before he transferred to Eastern Michigan in 2022. He did not play in the '22 season and totaled 27 receptions, 360 yards and 2 touchdowns last season. El-Zayat was a three-year starter at Fordham and led the team with 62 receptions in his first year as a starter in 2019. Like Jets HC Robert Saleh, El-Zayat attended Fordson High School in Dearborn, MI.
Stepp (5-11, 229) also participated in the team's rookie minicamp. The Western Kentucky product, and teammate of Jets third-round pick WR Malachi Corley, played two seasons for the Hilltoppers and ran for 476 yards and 3 touchdowns on 97 carries (15 games). Stepp began his career at USC in 2018 and played three years for the Trojans before one season at Nebraska (2021). He played in 36 games in six seasons and totaled 1,158 yards and 11 touchdowns on 242 attempts.
Spencer (6-4, 300) signed a reserve/future contract with the team in January. He spent each of the past two seasons on the Jets practice squad. Spencer was drafted by the Broncos in the seventh round in 2021 out of Mississippi State and he appeared in one game in the 2022 season.
Patrick, an undrafted free agent out of Florida State that signed with Bengals in 2020, was signed from Cincinnati's PS in 2021 by the 49ers and signed a reserve/future deal with the Green & White in January. After being released by San Francisco, he did stints with multiple teams – Panthers (2021), Ravens (2021), Bengals (2022), Broncos (2023) and Titans (2023).
