New York Jets claim DE Kony Ealy off waivers from New England Patriots

The New York Jets are giving a shot to a castoff from a division rival.

Defensive end Kony Ealy was claimed by the Jets on Sunday, the team confirmed, one day after the pass rusher was waived by the New England Patriots.

A second-round pick in 2014, Ealy was acquired by the Patriots in a March trade with the Carolina Panthers.

"I just think it's one of those things that didn't work out or wasn't going to work out," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said Saturday after Ealy was waived. "Nobody's fault. He worked hard. We worked hard. A lot of effort put in, but in the end, we didn't feel like this was going to work out."

Ealy, a cousin of Jets pass rusher Sheldon Richardson, joins a defense that recorded just 27 sacks last year. Jets defensive lineman Leonard Williams sustained a sprained wrist on Saturday against the New York Giants.

The move raises an extra eyebrow simply because it involves the Jets and the Pats, but Ealy is just a flier at this point who is now on his third team in three years.

The Jets cleared a roster spot for the new acquisition by waiving defensive lineman Anthony Johnson, who is injured.

In three NFL seasons out of the University of Missouri, all with Carolina Ealy has 14 sacks, one interception and six forced fumbles. He was a second-round draft pick, 60th overall, by the Panthers in 2014.