Holmes looks safe from Jets' NFL cull

Valentine Holmes has felt the cut-throat nature of the NFL with the New York Jets cutting one of his running back teammates.

The Jets announced on Tuesday De'Angelo Henderson, who sits at the end of the team's running back depth roster with Holmes, had been released.

NFL teams will be forced to slash their 90-man rosters to 53 ahead of the start of the regular season in September.

Holmes, a former Cronulla, Queensland and Australia rugby league star, is unlikely to experience the same fate as Henderson.

The Jets can keep Holmes as a bonus practice squad player.

The NFL's International Pathway program allows the Jets to carry an extra practice squad spot without having to reduce their 53-man playing roster or practice squad.

Practice squad members can play pre-season games but not in the regular season.

Holmes is a long shot to repeat Jarryd Hayne's 2015 achievement of making the San Francisco 49ers' 53-man roster.

The Jets' running backs will be led by prized recruit and three-time Pro Bowl selection Le'Veon Bell.

They also have Ty Montgomery, Bilal Powell, Elijah McGuire and Trenton Cannon.