Jets Hope Decimated Defensive Backfield Gets Healthy During Bye
The New York Jets will have to wait an extra week before taking aim at a third straight victory.
While the bye week's arrival may temporarily stunt any "momentum" built by the Jets in back-to-back wins, the opportunity to rest is certainly beneficial to the team's injury-ravaged defensive backfield.
"You’d like to keep playing, but we have a lot of guys that feel like we can get healthy over the next couple of weeks. Obviously, our cornerback situation," said head coach Robert Saleh on the Monday after a 20-14 victory.
With starting cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and DJ Reed as well as backups Brandin Echols and Justin Hardee already on the shelf, slot corner Michael Carter II suffered a hamstring injury in the Week 6 win over the Philadelphia Eagles.
"Trying to get Echols back, try to get DJ back, try to get Sauce back. That’ll help the DB room," said Saleh.
The third-year head coach did not offer status updates on the aforementioned players. Officially on a bye, the Jets aren't required to file an injury report again until next week.
"No updates right now on any of the injuries and with the bye week, we’re taking our time on all that," said Saleh.
The hope is that Carter's hamstring injury isn't serious enough to linger and potentially keep him out of the next game. Echols has missed back-to-back games after injuring his hamstring against Kansas City in Week 4. Meanwhile, Hardee's hamstring issue landed the special teams captain on Injured Reserve.
Yet to completely clear concussion protocol, Reed missed a second straight game this past Sunday.
Gardner's problem popped up on Friday ahead of the Philadelphia game with the All-Pro cornerback missing practice due to what was initially listed as an "illness." One day later, the team placed Gardner into concussion protocol.
Reed and Gardner had started 21 consecutive games together heading into Week 5.
The time-off may also provide some answers on the offensive line. Rookie right guard Joe Tippmann left Sunday's win due to a thigh injury. Although the severity of the issue is unknown, Saleh said it "might be a while" during his postgame presser.
Veteran left tackle Duane Brown went on Injured Reserve prior to the Week 3 game against New England. There has been speculation that the 38-year-old will be ready to return after the bye.
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