The New York Jets announced they signed former Kansas State and Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez, according to a release.

Corresponding with the move, cornerback Kendall Sheffield was also signed to the training camp roster. QB Ben Bryant and CB Nehemiah Shelton were released.

Martinez most recently played with the Birmingham Stallions in the UFL, earning MVP honors. He passed for 1,749 yards, 15 touchdowns and added 528 rushing yards.

Martinez went undrafted in 2023 and was signed by the Detroit Lions. Eventually, Detroit waived him last August, paving way for his UFL stint.

While in college, Martinez played five seasons, four at Nebraska and one at Kansas State (2022). Over the course of his career, Martinez threw for 9,752 yards, 51 touchdowns, 31 interceptions, a 63.6% completion percentage, 2,982 rushing yards and 45 rushing touchdowns.

As a member of the Class of 2018, Martinez was a four-star recruit out of Fresno (Calif.) Clovis West, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. He was the No. 22 overall prospect in the state, the No. 13 quarterback in the class and the No. 150 overall prospect in the class.

Adrian Martinez signs with New York Jets

Speaking with HuskerOnline earlier this year, Martinez opened up about his time away from the NFL. He never wavered.

“That thought never crossed my mind,” Martinez said when asked he thought of walking away from football. “It was always, ‘I need to find the right opportunity.’ I know the kind of player that I am right now is an NFL-caliber quarterback. I still have that belief. It really was about: How can I get myself back to getting that right opportunity and making sure I make the most of it?”

Martinez is the latest quarterback on the roster headlined by the return of Aaron Rodgers. The latter tore his Achilles tendon on the fourth play of the 2023 season.

Now that he’s back, there are bigger expectations for the Jets. Behind him is veteran Tyrod Taylor, followed by rookie and former Florida State star Jordan Travis.

It could be an uphill climb for Martinez to make the roster, but if his play is any indication, he’ll certainly have a shot to make the 53-man roster this fall. Training camp and preseason games will be the litmus test.

If anything, Martinez’s latest opportunity could be a way to audition for another team when it’s all said and done.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Salvador Perez hit a three-run homer that highlighted a six-run fifth inning and Kansas City beat the Chicago Cubs 6-0 Friday night in front of the Royals’ second-largest crowd of the season.

Friday night’s attendance of 36,351 at Kauffman Stadium was topped only by the 38,775 on opening day.

The Royals, in third place in the AL Central behind Cleveland and Minnesota, moved 10 games over .500 at 57-47 and eclipsed last season’s win total.

Brady Singer (7-6) was nearly flawless, allowing just two hits in seven innings while striking out five and walking two. The 27-year-old right-hander combined with Will Smith and Chris Stratton to limit the Cubs to four hits.

Kyle Hendricks (2-9) allowed six runs on eight hits in five innings in the loss.

The fifth inning was key for both pitchers.

Singer hit Mike Tauchman with a pitch leading off the fifth before Dansby Swanson’s soft liner sent Tauchman to third. Swanson went to second on the throw to third. But Singer got Miles Mastrobuoni to ground out to second. Miguel Amaya hit a flyout to center, and Kyle Isbel threw out Tauchman at the plate.

The Royals unloaded on Hendricks in their half of the inning. With two outs, Garrett Hampson had a bloop hit to right, and Kyle Isbel followed with a single through the hole at short. Isbel stole second before Adam Frazier drove in both runs with another blooper to right. Bobby Witt Jr. then singled and Vinnie Pasquantino’s single drove in Frazier. Perez then launched a 429-foot line drive homer down the left-field line to break open the game.

TRANSACTIONS:

Cubs: C Tomas Nido was placed on the 10-day injured list, retroactive to July 25, with a right knee sprain. … C Christian Bethancourt was selected from Triple-A Iowa… P Ben Brown was transferred to the 60-day injured list.

TRAINING ROOM:

Royals: OF MJ Melendez began a rehab assignment in Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Thursday night. He went 0 for 3 with a sacrifice fly and a run. Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said it’s possible that Melendez could join the team this weekend. He’s been on the injured list since July 16, retroactive to July 15, with a sprained left ankle.

UP NEXT:

The Cubs will send LHP Shota Imanaga (8-2, 2.86 ERA) against Royals’ RHP Seth Lugo (12-4, 2.38 ERA) in the second game of the three-game series Saturday.

A Kansas City man has been charged with the murder of a teen following a shooting in Klamm Park last weekend.

LaRon Jaka Belcher III, 21, is charged with first-degree murder in the death of Branden Jamal Baskin, 18. Baskin lived in Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office.

Wyandotte County Sheriff’s deputies responded to Klamm Park at 2515 N 27th St in Kansas City, Kansas, around 6:30 p.m. on July 21, The Star previously reported. Deputies found Baskin dead at the park, which is located behind KCK Fire Department Station 14.

Two other suspects, an adult and a juvenile, were arrested after the shooting, The Star reported. Belcher alone was charged with murder.

Court documents indicate that the shooting took place while Belcher was trying to sell or distribute some form of controlled substance.

Belcher was booked into the Wyandotte County Jail earlier this week, according to jail records. A Wyandotte County set his bond at $200,000 at a hearing Friday morning.

Belcher is set to next appear in court on August 6.

Baskin’s death was the 16th homicide reported in Kansas City, Kansas, in 2024, according to data collected by The Star. At the same time last year, 14 homicides had been reported in the city.