Jets Add Former Rugby Standout, Lose Offensive Lineman to Injury Ahead of Falcons Matchup
The New York Jets made a roster adjustment before their Week 13 game against the Atlanta Falcons.
The team announced on social media that they’ve added defensive end Paschal Ekeji to the practice squad. To make room, the Jets placed offensive lineman Leander Wiegand on the practice-squad injured reserve list.
Jets Likely Lose a Developmental Lineman for the Season
Wiegand will miss a minimum of four games and is expected to be sidelined for the remainder of the season. To bring him back, the Jets would need to designate him for return from IR.
With only six games left in the 2025 regular season, the earliest possible return for Wiegand would be the Week 17 matchup with the New England Patriots on December 28.
Jets reporter Eric Allen noted that Wiegand joined the team in May, moved to the practice squad in August, and previously played one season at UCF before heading back to Germany in 2022. He later suited up for the Cologne Centurions, then for the Rhein Fire, where he earned first-team All-European League of Football honors. At his pro day, Wiegand showcased an 80-inch wingspan and put up 38 reps of 225 pounds on the bench press.
A New International Prospect for the Jets
Both Wiegand and Ekeji are products of the NFL’s International Player Pathway program. Teams with an IPP player on the practice squad receive an extra roster slot—17 instead of the standard 16—which means the Jets are effectively swapping one international prospect for another.
According to the Associated Press’ Dennis Waszak Jr., Ekeji visited for a workout earlier in the week, and the Jets chose to sign him on Thursday, November 27.
Background on Paschal Ekeji
Allen’s press release described Ekeji (6’4″, 230 lbs), who holds citizenship in three countries, as a former rugby standout selected for the NFL IPP class. In 2022, he took part in the first NFL Africa Camp, featuring 49 players from Ghana, Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Born in Lesotho, Ekeji played rugby at Grey College in Bloemfontein, later attended Stellenbosch University, and last played professionally for the Sharks in South Africa.
How Might the Jets Use Him?
Beat writer Brandyn Pokrass noted that Ekeji went through both defensive end and linebacker drills during the pre-draft process.
During the 2022 NFL Africa Camp, longtime NFL running back Maurice Jones-Drew wrote that Ekeji—then working out as a wide receiver—stood out with his size, fluid movement, and coachability. Although he is currently listed as a defensive lineman, the athleticism he showed caught evaluators’ attention.
The Jets now have the chance to see whether his rare physical tools can translate at the NFL level.
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