New York Jets Dealing with Offensive Line Injuries Entering Cardinals Game

The New York Jets are hoping to get at least some of their interior linemen back for Sunday’s game with Arizona.

Sep 9, 2024; Santa Clara, California, USA; New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) talks with guards Alijah Vera-Tucker (75) and John Simpson (76) and center Joe Tippmann (66) before a snap against the San Francisco 49ers during the first quarter at Levi's Stadium. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

The New York Jets sat three interior offensive lineman on Wednesday as they try to see if any of them can recover enough to help them on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.

Five offensive linemen didn’t practice on Wednesday, though two of them are expected to play on Sunday. Both are starting tackles Tyron Smith and Morgan Moses.

Smith was getting his normal veteran rest day while Moses is on the injury list with the same knee injury he suffered earlier this season.

Moses revealed to reporters on Monday that he’s been playing with a Grade 2 MCL tear in his knee, along with meniscus damage and a small fracture, since he suffered the injury in Week 3.

Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich expects both to play on Sunday.

As for the interior linemen, guards Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle), Jake Hanson (hamstring) and John Simpson (groin) were all out on Wednesday.

Vera-Tucker is the starting right guard and has been out since he suffered the ankle injury during the Pittsburgh game. Xavier Newman took his place and suffered a neck injury in the same game. He is on injured reserve.

Hanson took the starting job at right guard and suffered his injury last Thursday.

As for Simpson, he started every game at left guard until he suffered his groin injury against Houston.

That forced the Jets to play two tackles at guard in the second half of the Texans game — rookie Olu Fashanu and Max Mitchell. It’s not clear if either will start in their place if any of the starting guards can play.

The Jets did get some good news in a couple of areas. First, safety Tony Adams was a full participant in practice. He suffered a hamstring injury against Pittsburgh and hadn’t played in the last two games. Given how thin the Jets are at safety, getting Adams back this week would be welcome.

Another safety, Ashytn Davis, was a limited participant. He’s been out for the last two games after suffering a concussion. Linebacker Chazz Surratt (heel) was also a limited participant.

Second, quarterback Aaron Rodgers (knee/hamstring) was a full participant on a Wednesday for the first time in a few weeks. Ulbrich said he expects the 40-year-old to play.

Other New York players that were held out of practice were cornerback Michael Carter II (back), linebacker C.J. Mosley (neck) and defensive lineman Solomon Thomas (knee).

The Cardinals were without two players for their first workouts of the week — offensive tackle Kelvin Beachum (veteran rest) and defensive lineman Darius Robinson (calf). Defensive end L.J. Collier (foot), running back James Conner (finger) and offensive tackle Jonah Williams (knee) were limited.

Full participants were defensive tackle Naquan Jones (thigh), defensive tackle Roy Lopez (ankle) and cornerback Sean Murphy-Bunting (neck).