Player Bio
| HT/WT: 6-1, 232 lbs |
| Birthplace: Mundelein, IL |
| Age: 27 |
| School: W. Michigan |
| Experience: 4 |
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1:32Report: Malik Hooker Fractured Bone in Forearm
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1:19Joey Porter Jr. Landing Spots: New Orleans Saints
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11:35Top Under-the-Radar NFL Teams for 2026
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2026 Defensive
| STATS |
CMB
Total Tackles
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SCK
Sacks
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FUM
Forced Fumbles
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INT
Interceptions
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TD
Interceptions Returned For Touchdown
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | — | — | — | — | — |
Top Zaire Barnes News
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Giants' Zaire Barnes: Back with Big Blue
The Giants re-signed Barnes on Saturday.
Barnes was a sixth-round draft pick of the Jets in 2023 but didn't play any defensive snaps for the team. He linked up with the Giants last year and saw action in 11 games, logging 93 defensive snaps and 168 special-teams snaps while notching 29 tackles (including 1.0 sacks). Most of Barnes' work on defense last year came in Weeks 12 and 13, and he even made a start against New England in that Week 13 game. He'll likely be competing for a depth linebacker role in 2026.
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Giants' Zaire Barnes: Leading tackler in loss
Barnes compiled 11 tackles (eight solo), including 1.0 sacks, during the Giants' loss to the Patriots on Monday.
Barnes benefited from increased playing time due to the team's injuries at linebacker and delivered his best outing of the campaign. His 13 tackles not only lead the team but also marked a new season high for the 26-year-old. Barnes also managed to record the first sack of his career.
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Jets' Zaire Barnes: Available for OTAs
Barnes (ankle) has been participating in OTAs.
Barnes sat out the entire 2024 campaign due to an ankle injury that landed him on injured reserve, but the 2023 sixth-round draft pick has recovered ahead of the 2025 campaign. Barnes appeared in four games as a rookie but played exclusively on special teams. He'll compete for a roster spot with the Jets in training camp.
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Jets' Zaire Barnes: Shifts to IR
The Jets placed Barnes (ankle) on injured reserve Monday.
Barnes had been ruled out for the Jets' Week 1 matchup with the 49ers and has since been placed on IR with an ankle injury. The second-year linebacker will be forced to miss at least New York's next four contests. With Barnes and Jimmy Ciarlo (knee) on IR, the Jets have just three healthy outside linebackers on their active roster: Quincy Williams, Sam Eguavoen and Jamien Sherwood.
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Jets' Zaire Barnes: Won't play Monday
Barnes (ankle) has been ruled out for Monday's season opener against the 49ers, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com reports.
Barnes was a full participant in Wednesday's practice, but he sat out sessions Thursday and Friday due to an ankle injury. The Jets will be thin at linebacker Monday, with Chazz Surratt providing depth behind starters Jamien Sherwood, C.J. Mosley and Quincy Williams.
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Jets' Zaire Barnes: Four tackles vs. Washington
Barnes (hamstring) recorded four tackles (two solo) in Saturday's 20-17 preseason loss to the Jets.
Barnes played 38 snaps (25 on defense, 13 on special teams) in Saturday's contest. He played 32 snaps -- all on special teams -- across four regular-season outings for the Jets last year, but he missed the end of the season due to a hamstring injury. The 2023 sixth-round pick is competing for a depth spot at outside linebacker behind starters Quincy Williams and Jermaine Johnson.
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Jets' Zaire Barnes: Season over
Barnes (hamstring) was placed on injured reserve Saturday.
Barnes has been active for four games this season and played exclusively on special teams. His rookie season is now likely over assuming the Jets won't make the playoffs, and he failed to record any stats along the way.
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Jets' Zaire Barnes: Added to injury report
Barnes (hamstring) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.
The depth linebacker has yet to play a defensive snap in 2023. Barnes has played 32 snaps on special teams but does not have any tackles on the season.
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Jets' Zaire Barnes: Depth option at LB
The Jets selected Barnes in the sixth round of the NFL Draft, 184th overall.
An off-ball linebacker, Barnes played safety in high school and flashed plus coverage skills at Western Michigan in both 2021 and '22. There's room to improve when it comes to his tackling tackling technique, and it's tough to know if Barnes' 6-foot-1 frame can add more weight (233 pounds) to hold up at the NFL level, but the 23-year-old's versatility is valuable for a Jets defense that hasn't added many pieces throughout the 2023 NFL Draft.
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