HBCU return specialist finds new home on NFL roster cut day

Former HBCU All-American DB out of North Carolina Central University, (NCCU) Brandon Codrington is on the move on the final day of cuts in the NFL, but he hasn’t been waived or released, the undrafted free agent from Raleigh, NC was traded to a team within the same division. Codrington earned a contract with the New York Jets following the team’s rookie minicamp and made a name for himself in the preseason with a handful of big returns on special teams.

The cornerback amassed 109 return yards in the Jets opening preseason game against the Carolina Panthers, including a 69-yard kick return that had head coach Robert Saleh talking about him in the post-game media session.

“Definitely seized his opportunities. I think he’s — for both (punt and kick return) teams — the most productive. Set up a couple of scoring drives…but that’s what he’s here for,” Saleh said after the game. “That’s why we brought him in — his punt return and kick return ability — and I thought he did a really nice job today.”

Reports of Codrington being traded from the New York Jets to the Buffalo Bills surfaced about 30 minutes before the 4 pm final roster cutdown deadline. NBC Sports reports that the teams will exchange late-round picks in 2026 to complete the deal.

Buffalo Rumblings reports that “In terms of trade value, it’s a fairly inconsequential move for the Bills to surrender to a swap of late-round draft picks in the 2026 NFL Draft. It’s likely the parameters are such that One Bills Drive will have to give up the better draft pick to the Jets — meaning that if they finish with a better record, they’d exchange an earlier-round choice for one of the Jets’ picks in a later round.”

Brandon Codrington was an HBCU all-American kick return specialist at North Carolina Central where he accumulated 2,000 all-purpose yards and 4 touchdowns during his time as an Eagle. As a Junior, he contributed 2 solo tackles in NCCU’s HBCU National Championship win in the Celebration Bowl win over Jackson State.

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