Over the next few months, we’ll be breaking down all undrafted free agents signed by the Jets. We continue today with a look at tight end Chase Curtis.
The 26-year old Curtis is listed at 6’5” and 235 pounds and was undrafted out of TCU. He caught just 36 passes in his college career but had career highs for both receiving yards (167) and touchdowns (two) in 2025.
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Background
As noted above, Curtis is 26, so he was one of the oldest draft-eligible players with a realistic shot of getting an NFL contract this offseason.
He was a quarterback in high school and wasn’t ranked as a high school prospect so he went to play baseball at the JUCO level in 2018. Two years later, he walked onto TCU’s football team but played just three games in his first two seasons.
However, he earned a scholarship ahead of the 2022 season, in which he recorded his first career catch for 37 yards.
Curtis saw his role increase in 2023, as he had 15 catches for 132 yards and a touchdown in eight games, but missed the end of the season due to injury. Then, in 2024, he had seven catches for 77 yards and a touchdown in four games before again suffering a season-ending injury.
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In 2025, he remained healthy and caught 13 passes in 13 games, for 167 yards and two touchdowns.
Curtis was not expected to be drafted and the Jets signed him to an undrafted free agent contract that included low guarantees.
Let’s move onto some more in-depth analysis of what Curtis brings to the table, based on in-depth research and film study.
Measurables/Athleticism
Curtis lacks ideal size, although he is over 80 pounds heavier than he was as a high school junior and his pro day weigh-in was 241, which is six pounds heavier than the Jets have him listed at. He also lacks ideal length.
His pro day workout was excellent, headlined by a 6.97 in the three cone drill. That would have been tied for sixth best at the past five scouting combines for tight ends. He also ran a 4.70, posted average explosiveness numbers and managed 17 bench press reps.
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Usage
Curtis was a quarterback in high school but he began his career as a wide receiver at TCU. He eventually transferred at the end of his third year in the program, at which time he had just one catch.
Since moving to tight end, Curtis has lined up outside less than 10 percent of the time but he spends about a third of his snaps in the slot.
He carried the ball three times, in his career, including once on a quarterback sneak for a first down.
Deep threat
Curtis has done most of his damage underneath or on short passes, but he has demonstrated an ability to stretch the field by getting down the seam or running wheel routes.
Hands
Curtis has an impressive 80 percent catch rate for his career, with zero drops, although he doesn’t have many highlight plays in his film. He did well to hold onto this catch in traffic, though.
Routes
You would think that, having spent some time as a wide receiver, Curtis might have some good route running skills that could benefit him in matchups with linebackers. However, he didn’t get many chances to show that at TCU, as most of his pass catching came on plays where he leaked to an open area or was left alone because he was expected to block.
From what he has shown, he releases cleanly off the line and can accelerate and set up his man with deception.
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Red zone
Curtis only had four touchdowns in his career, mostly on longer plays, but did score this red zone touchdown.
After the catch
Curtis hasn’t had many chances to generate yardage after the catch, and hasn’t had a lot of broken tackles, but he showed good strength and balance on this run.
He hasn’t done much on the few tight end screens TCU ran with him during his career. They ran four of these and they netted a total of six yards.
He had one fumble during his college career.
Run Blocking
Curtis made good contributions as a blocker during his TCU career but was not always consistent. He showed his ability to be a lead blocker on the move here.
He’s capable of blocking on the outside, especially when lined up in the slot, but when called upon to block inline, he can still do a good job.
As noted, his consistency can let him down though. He oversets to the inside here and his man blows by him with quickness.
Pass Blocking
Curtis was occasionally called upon to stay in and pass protect and didn’t give up a sack in his career. However, he was completely outmuscled on this play, so he may be limited in terms of how long you can rely on him to stay in front of a powerful lineman.
Physicality
Curtis gives a good effort in the trenches but gets overwhelmed by bigger linemen at times. On this play, he got lit up and his man helped stuff a short yardage run.
He has made a few contested catches but will need to work at being able to box out smaller defensive players when aligned in the slot.
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Special Teams
Curtis has had some good experience on special teams during his career, as he has blocked on the field goal unit, kickoff returns and in punt protection. He also rushed punts for his first two seasons.
He’s covered kicks and punts throughout his career, with a total of nine tackles and only a couple of missed tackles.
He did have four special teams penalties in his career, though.
Instincts and Intelligence
Curtis seems to have a good sense of when to leak to open areas in the passing game but can be a beat slow to pick up a blocking assignment.
Curtis also had two pre-snap penalties in 2025.
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He was previously named as an all-Big 12 first team selection in 2022.
Attitude
As noted, Curtis is one of the oldest draft prospects you’re likely to see with his baseball career and multiple injuries meaning he had eight years in collegiate sports. He has displayed a good work ethic and commitment to get to the NFL and is regarded as a team-first player.
He was a team captain for TCU in 2025.
Injuries
Curtis missed the entire 2021 season and saw his 2023 and 2024 seasons cut short due to season-ending injuries but did play in all 13 games in 2025.
We don’t know much about these injuries as they were all undisclosed, but the 2024 one was obviously an arm injury because he was on the sideline in a sling for the rest of the year. He reportedly had surgery on that injury.
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Scheme Fit
Curtis has the versatility to play a variety of roles at the tight end position but he is more of an H-back or move tight end than someone who is going to have his hand on the line of scrimmage, blocking defensive linemen and being a red zone threat.
Conclusions
The Jets’ tight end position is pretty much locked-in based on who is currently on the roster, but there isn’t much depth beyond that so a spot on the practice squad or an opportunity in the event of an injury might not be too far away for Curtis.
In fact, with Kenyon Sadiq currently sidelined, he got some first team reps during mandatory minicamp.
He should definitely be considered as a project, though, having not had much production in college. The Jets will hope his athletic numbers give him a shot that they can develop him into something.
