The news was unofficial on Wednesday and it was made official on Thursday. Laurent Duvernay-Tardif joins the New York Jets.
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The physical examination the guard went through with the Jets was to their complete satisfaction. The team agreed with Duvernay-Tardif on the basis of a contract for the rest of the season.
As announced Wednesday, he will first join the Jets’ practice squad. It’s normal procedure for the vast majority of veterans who sign an agreement during the season to join a team.
We should not be surprised to see the Montrealer move to the regular roster of 53 players in the short term.
“Laurent is very happy. It’s a great opportunity. He wanted to come back, but he had several criteria and the Jets ticked all the boxes. It’s a team that aspires to the playoffs, there are needs on the offensive line and it’s an organization that he knows, “said his agent Sasha Ghavami.
Duvernay-Tardif, who was to speak to Quebec journalists on Thursday, should do so on Friday instead.
- Listen to the interview with Sasha Ghavami, players’ agent and Laurent Duvernay-Tardif’s agent on QUB radio:
Place to take
There were several injuries this fall on the Jets offensive line, including guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, who saw his season come to an end after suffering a torn triceps.
For now, Nate Herbig is the starting right guard. An undrafted player, Herbig was first signed by the Philadelphia Eagles in 2019, before being released last May. The Jets claimed him on waivers.
Last season, Duvernay-Tardif was traded en route from the Kansas City Chiefs to the Jets. He had finished the season in New York taking part in eight games.
Different situation
If the team was in full reconstruction last fall, it finds itself this season at the height of the race, with a record of 6-3. A playoff berth is a real possibility.
Last June, when Duvernay-Tardif announced his intentions to prioritize medicine over his career in the NFL, he made it clear that he was not closing the door to a return.
Now that a mandatory portion of his medical residency in a Montreal hospital is complete, he is ready to seize a new opportunity.