The Jacksonville Jaguars traded for Khalen Saunders Sr. with the expectation that he was going to bolster the interior defensive trenches. However, the seventh-year veteran barely ever played after landing with the Jags. That's why nobody batted an eye when they moved on from him.
Having said that, Saunders can still play. That's why several teams showed interest in him before he chose to sign with the New York Jets.
Former Jaguars DT Khalen Saunders Sr. is signing with the NY Jets
Tom Pelissero of NFL Media reported that New York signed Saunders. Several outlets confirmed the news around the same time.
Earlier the same day, NFL insider Jordan Schultz shared that the Baltimore Ravens, the Indianapolis Colts, and the Arizona Cardinals were among the clubs that showed interest in the defensive tackle.
Although Schultz didn't name the Kansas City Chiefs, they were a popular destination for Saunders, and understandably so. Not only could they use help on the interior defensive line, but they were the team that originally made Saunders a third-round selection in the 2019 draft.
After spending four seasons with Kansas City, Saunders bolted for the New Orleans Saints in 2023. He played four years in The Big Easy before he was traded to Jacksonville after Week 2 of the preseason.
At the time the Jags traded for Saunders, Maason Smith failed to make an impression. But after playing in the opener against the Carolina Panthers, the veteran defensive tackle was a healthy scratch. He ended up appearing in two games and logging three tackles in his stint in Duval.
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The Jaguars don't mind watching the Jets poach Khalen Saunders Sr.
The Jaguars no longer needed Khalen Saunders Sr., with Arik Armstead, Maason Smith, DaVon Hamilton, and Austin Johnson in the fold. Now, he joins a 2-8 Jets team that has been unable to get going in Year 1 of the Aaron Glenn era.
At this moment, the Jets are far from a playoff contender, so if he chose to sign with them, it's probably because he's going to get playing time. Not long after landing with the Gang Green, he posted on social media that he "tried to make it happen," but fans aren't the front office. Below is the tweet:
Sorry yall, i tried. 🤷🏾♂️
— Bink Saunders (@khalenNOTkaylen) November 17, 2025
If only the fans were the front office.
Maybe one day tho who knows
This is a clue that Saunders might've wanted to return to the Chiefs, but the interest wasn't mutual. For the time being, though, he's a Jet, and that means that he'll get to play the Jags in Week 15.
The Jaguars aren't probably too worried, though. Otherwise, they wouldn't have released Khalen Saunders Sr., knowing that they would have to face him later this year. And they'll have a chance to prove that they made the right call when they face New York.