Montana's Bergen Gets a Fresh Start in New York
A Grizzly is heading to the Big Apple.
Junior Bergen, the wide receiver and return specialist out of Montana, has signed with the New York Jets after being released by the San Francisco 49ers, giving the FCS product a new shot at sticking on an NFL roster heading into the 2026 season.
Bergen's path to this point is exactly the kind of story that keeps scouts watching the smaller-school pipeline. Originally a 49ers draft pick, he now lands in New York amid legitimate scouting buzz — Yahoo Sports NFL took a dedicated look at Bergen as a Jets roster candidate, examining his tools as both a receiver and a return specialist. That dual-threat utility is often what keeps a player from the Montana program on the radar at the professional level; special teams value extends rosters, and Bergen has the profile to contribute there immediately.
The Jets are in a position where they need contributors to emerge from the depth of their roster, and Bergen's ability to line up in the return game gives him a functional path to a 53-man spot. Scouting evaluations noted his skill set as a receiver worth monitoring, suggesting he isn't merely a camp body but a player with legitimate developmental upside.
Bergen isn't the only Grizzly grinding in the NFL this preseason. Dylan Cook is in camp with the Pittsburgh Steelers at tackle, Alex Gubner is on the Kansas City Chiefs roster at defensive tackle, Patrick O'Connell is with the Seattle Seahawks at linebacker, and Samouri Toure is working with the New Orleans Saints at linebacker. Montana's continued presence across the league — five alumni on active rosters — reflects a program that consistently produces pro-level talent despite competing at the FCS level.
But Bergen is the name drawing the most attention this week. The move from San Francisco to New York resets his clock and puts him in a new system with new opportunities. For a player navigating the thin margins of roster construction, that's not a footnote — it's everything.
Grizzly fans will want to track the Jets' final roster decisions as the preseason winds down. Bergen's chances of making the cut will likely come down to how he performs in return situations and whether he can differentiate himself in a wide receiver room that's always competitive in New York. The scouting community is watching. So is Missoula.
AI-generated summary
