Tarik Cohen is once again attempting to make an NFL comeback.
Cohen on Wednesday agreed to a 1-year deal with the New York Jets. Head coach Robert Saleh called Cohen an “explosive player” and cited the NFL’s new kickoff rules as one reason for the signing.
Jets HC Robert Saleh on the signing of RB Tarik Cohen: https://t.co/PjCUbMqH0U pic.twitter.com/oJcVU9FkUU
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) May 29, 2024
Cohen’s agents made it known last offseason that the 28-year-old wanted to make a comeback. Cohen signed with the Carolina Panthers’ practice squad a few weeks later, but he was never elevated to the 53-man roster.
The Chicago Bears selected Cohen in the fourth round of the 2017 NFL Draft. Cohen served as both the backup running and primary punt returner for Chicago from 2017 to 2019. He received a Pro Bowl nod and was named first-team All-Pro in 2018 as a punt returner. Cohen tallied 15 combined touchdowns as a rusher, receiver, and punt returner across 51 games for the Bears.
Injuries then derailed Cohen’s career, as the speedster tore his ACL and MCL during a Week 3 contest against the Atlanta Falcons in 2020. He missed the entire 2021 season trying to recover from the injury. As Cohen was gearing up for a 2022 season return, he tore the Achilles tendon on his right leg while live-streaming a workout via his Instagram account.
Cohen will face an uphill battle to make the Jets’ roster, but he could provide value with the radical changes that have been made to kickoffs.
