Jets injury report: Sam Darnold out for Week 6, Denzel Mims back at practice

As for Wednesday’s Jets injury updates, Adam Gase ruled out QB Sam Darnold for Week 6, while rookie WR Denzel Mims returned to practice.

As the Jets get ready to take on the Dolphins in Week 6, they will again be without their starting quarterback. On Wedneday, Adam Gase ruled out Sam Darnold (right shoulder) for Sunday’s game and named Joe Flacco the starter again.

On the other hand, Denzel Mims (hamstring) returned to practice. Gase was non-committal on whether the rookie wide receiver will come off injured reserve for Sunday. Still, Mims has been itching at getting back on the field and has an outside chance at playing vs. the Dolphins, according to The Athletic’s Connor Hughes.

Both of the Jets’ starters on the left side of the offensive line — Mekhi Becton and Alex Lewis — will not practice Wednesday, as both are dealing with shoulder injuries. Lewis will be limited going forward but should be good to go for Sunday. As for Becton, the Jets haven’t provided much of an update, but it was reported on CBS’s Broadcast in Week 5 that he was dealing with a capsule injury in his shoulder.

CB Bless Austin, WR Breshad Perriman and DL Quinnen Williams were all limited during practice.

The Jets designated Mims, CB Arthur Maulet (groin) and OL Cameron Clark (shoulder/knee) to return to practice; they will have 21 days to activate these three players from injured reserve. New York also signed DL Tanzel Smart and K/P Sergio Castillo to its practice squad and released WR Donte Moncrief from the practice squad.

Jets place 5 on IR to make room for Josh Andrews, Daniel Brown, Matthias Farley and Nate Hairston

The Jets placed five players on injured reserve to make room for Josh Andrews, Daniel Brown, Nate Hairston and Matthias Farley.

One day after releasing them in order to get their roster down to 53 players, the Jets signed offensive lineman Josh Andrews, tight end Daniel Brown, safety Matthias Farley, cornerback Nate Hairston and back to the team’s active roster on Monday.

In order to make room for Andrews, Brown, Farley and Hairston, New York placed offensive lineman Cameron Clark (shoulder/knee), linebacker Patrick Onwuasor (knee), wide receivers Jeff Smith (shoulder) and Vyncint Smith (core muscle surgery), and defensive lineman/outside linebacker Jabari Zuniga (quad) on injured reserve.

With the new injured reserve rules in place, players are allowed to return to practice after three weeks of being on the shelf, which would make them eligible for a Week 4 return. Getting back some reinforcements at wide receiver in Week 4 could be a crucial boost for the Jets as they have a short week with a Thursday Night Football matchup against the Broncos.

Both Smith’s showed flashes of promise throughout training camp, but also fell victim to the barrage of injuries that decimated the wide receiver room. Between injuries to both Breshad Perriman and Denzel Mims and both Braxton Berrios and Jamison Crowder banged up, New York may have to rely on both undrafted free agent wideouts to play some significant snaps early in the year.

Onwuasor sustained a non-contact knee injury in training camp, but doesn’t have any ligament damage. He’s out 4-5 weeks and for the time being, leaves the Jets thin at inside linebacker with only three players — Avery Williamson, Blake Cahsman and Neville Hewittt — that remain healthy. Zuniga, New York’s third-round pick out of Florida missed the majority of training camp dealing with a quad injury. Clark, a fourth-round pick out of Charlotte, has been banged up with a shoulder and knee injury.

The new rules allow Gang Green to demonstrate some roster flexibility before the start of the season. By placing five players on injured reserve and adding just four, New York has one remaining roster spot to add another depth piece prior to Sunday’s game against the Bills.

Jets WR Vyncint Smith out 5-8 weeks with core muscle injury

Vyncint Smith will be out for the next 5-8 weeks with a core muscle injury.

The New York Jets will be without one of their key wide receivers for the next month.

According to multiple reports, Vyncint Smith will miss 5-8 weeks with a core muscle injury. His muscle essentially ripped away from the bone, per The Athletic’s Connor Hughes. Smith will have surgery on Tuesday.

Smith’s injury is a significant blow to the Jets’ receiving corps. He was expected to see a lot of opportunities this season with the Jets being so thin at the position. In 2019, Smith recorded 17 catches for 225 yards in 13 games. He also had 52 rushing yards to go along with a touchdown on the ground.

The Jets signed Chris Hogan to a deal on Sunday, so he’ll likely take Smith’s spot on the depth chart for the time being. New York could potentially look to sign another veteran wide receiver to bring in some more experience at the position.

As for the rest of the Jets’ injuries, James Burgess tweaked his back in individual drills. Blake Cashman got first-team reps. Denzel Mims (hamstring), Pierre Desir (hamstring), Brian Poole (dehydration), Jabari Zuniga (quad), Cameron Clark (shoulder) and Bronson Kaufusi (hamstring) all have yet to practice for Gang Green.

Jets injury report: Vyncint Smith latest WR to miss practice

Vyncint Smith’s core injury leaves the Jets very thin at wide receiver.

The Jets’ wide receivers group is getting thinner by the day.

Vyncint Smith became the second Jets receiver to go down with an injury as he missed Sunday’s practice with a core issue. Smith will see a specialist on Monday.

Denzel Mims missed his second straight day of practice with a hamstring injury. Adam Gase gave no update on a timetable for his return. With two injured receivers, the Jets signed free agent Chris Hogan. He won’t be able to practice for a few days until he goes through all the COVID-19 protocols, though.

Elsewhere, Cameron Clark is week to week as he deals with a shoulder injury. Brian Poole sat out of Sunday’s practice due to dehydration.

Pierre Desir also missed his second day of practice because of a hamstring injury. The injury isn’t considered serious, though. Bronson Kaufusi (hamstring) and Jabari Zuniga (quad) missed a second consecutive day of practice as well.

6 players who benefited most from the Jets’ roster moves

The Jets lost a few starters to roster moves, but these players are in line for bigger roles on the team, now.

The Jets made a couple of big moves this week as they trimmed their roster down to 80 men before the beginning of training camp.

Not only did starting inside linebacker C.J. Mosley opt out of the 2020 season because of concerns over the coronavirus pandemic, but New York also cut a couple of key contributors from the past few seasons. Among them were guard Brian Winters, wide receiver Quincy Enunwa and running back/return specialist Trenton Cannon.

The loss of those players opens up some opportunities for players to step in and assume bigger roles, or elevate some players’ value entering the 2020 season. With that being said, here are six Jets who benefitted the most from Gang Green’s recent string of transactions.

Avery Williamson

When Mosley opted out, Williamson immediately became more important to the Jets. He was once considered a likely cap casualty because of contract, age and an ACL injury that cost him the 2019 season, but now, Williamson is the de-facto leader of New York’s defense.

Williamson should be at the center of Gregg Williams’ defensive scheme in 2020. It won’t be the same role he played two years ago, but the Jets will need him to anchor the front-seven with Mosley out of the picture.

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Updated look at Jets’ offensive line depth chart after Brian Winters’ release

Jets Wire takes a look at New York’s updated offensive line depth chart, following the team’s release of Brian Winters.

The Jets’ decision to release Brian Winters was not surprising, though the timing was a bit.

Winters has long been viewed as a potential cap casualty, but New York indicated that it would give him an opportunity to compete for the starting right guard position this summer. After C.J. Mosley opted out of the 2020 NFL season, though, Avery Williamson’s roster spot became safer and Winters moved to the top of the list of salary-saving options.

Clearly, the Jets are comfortable with the team’s current depth on the offensive line. At the same time, the Jets were able to save $7.2 million by releasing Winters, freeing up cap space that can be rolled over to 2021 or used to help mitigate some of the team’s holes.

Winters’ departure opens up an opportunity for one of Joe Douglas’ offseason acquisitions — Greg Van Roten — to slide into the starting lineup. Van Roten started 11 games for the Panthers in 2019 before a toe injury prematurely ended his season. The Jets signed Van Roten to a three-year, $10.5 million deal back in March. He has the versatility to play either guard position or right tackle, but for now, he figures to be Winters’ replacement on the right side.

Staying on the right side, George Fant is expected to be the Jets’ starting right tackle. He will see some competition from swing tackle Chuma Edoga, but Fant’s experience and his contract should give him the upper-hand. Another offseason addition, Connor McGovern, will be the man in the middle for New York. He will be the Jets’ fourth attempt at replacing Nick Mangold since 2017. Some stability and consistency under center should pay dividends for Sam Darnold’s development.

New York re-signed Alex Lewis to be part of the offensive line rotation, but with Winters’ release, he’s assured a return to the starting lineup. Next to Lewis on his left will be Gang Green’s first-round pick, Mekhi Becton. Becton is expected to be a mainstay on Darnold’s blindside for years to come.

As for the rest of the depth chart, both Jonotthan Harrison and Josh Andrews have the positional flexibility to fill in at guard and center. The presence of these two veterans made Winters and his price-tag expendable. Another depth piece that New York remains excited about is Cameron Clark. A fourth-round pick out of the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Clark figures to be New York’s long-term answer next to Becton. For now, his versatility on the left side gives the Jets some youth and comfortability.

Jared Hilbers, Conor McDermott and Ben Braden will endure a training camp battle, fighting for that 10th and final spot on New York’s o-line depth chart.

2020 New York Jets Position Preview: Offensive line

The Jets spent more resources on its offensive line than any other position. It looks like it could pay off.

Ah, Joe Douglas’ reclamation project, the offensive line.

Douglas upgraded this unit more than any other on the roster this offseason when he brought in seven new linemen. Not only did he use the Jets’ 11th overall draft pick on tackle Mekhi Becton, but he also dolled out $35 million in guaranteed money in free agency to linemen in the hopes of drastically improving protection for Sam Darnold and opening up better running lanes for Le’Veon Bell.

The Jets could have as many as four new starters this season with the team’s acquisitions – and that could be enough to turn around one of the worst offenses in 2019. Darnold had almost no time to throw last season and Bell rarely had opportunities to show off his dynamism. If Douglas’ moves pay off, the Jets could quickly turn into a competitive team in 2020.

With that, here’s a breakdown of the offensive line.

The starters

Four of the Jets’ 2019 Week 1 starters aren’t even on the team anymore, so the starting lineup will look completely different this season. It’s hard to know exactly who will play where before training camp begins, but it’s easy to guess who will earn a starting job based on the contracts Douglas gave out this offseason.

Connor McGovern is pretty much locked in as the starting center after Douglas gave him a three-year, $27 million deal that included the most guaranteed money of any Jets’ free agent this offseason ($18 million). George Fant, too, will likely be the right tackle after signing a three-year, $30 million contract. Becton will in turn be the left tackle after being picked in the first round.

All three come with their risks. McGovern is solid but only played one season at center before joining the Jets. Fant is versatile but inexperienced and injury-prone, while Becton is incredibly powerful but just as raw of a talent. They look better than the Jets’ 2019 starters on paper, but only real reps will prove that one way or another.

Alex Lewis will almost assuredly play left guard since he played in 75 percent of snaps for the Jets in 2019. After allowing only two sacks, he re-signed on a three-year, $18 million deal. Right guard, however, is up for grabs between 2019 incumbent starter Brian Winters and free agent Greg Van Roten. Neither are studs, but Van Roten has the inside track because the Jets could save $7 million by cutting Winters this summer. The Jets will likely wait until the duo battle it out in camp before making a decision. If Winters loses, he’ll probably be cut.

The depth

Douglas didn’t just bring in starters this offseason. He also invested in quality depth players.

Versatile center Jonotthan Harrison returns to back up McGovern, as well as 2019 third-round tackle Chuma Edoga and backup guards Ben Braden and Connor McDermott. Harrison and Edoga have ample starting experience and should make the team as important reserve linemen for the Jets. Braden and McDermott will compete with the rest of the backup guards for a roster spot.

Rookies Cameron Clark and Jared Hilbers inject more youth into the unit. Both Clark, a 2020 fourth-rounder, and Hilbers, an undrafted free agent from Washington, could be starters later in their careers but will likely ride the bench this season. Clark should be a guard and Hilbers will play tackle.

The rest of the backups, Josh Andrews, Leo Koloamatangi, James Murray and Brad Lundblade, will compete for roster spots.

Outlook

It’s hard to gauge the competency of the offensive line until they all play together, but the unit looks a lot better than the 2019 version. McGovern is a huge upgrade over an injured Ryan Kalil and Harrison, while Fant and Becton have the potential to be maulers at the tackle position. The guards could be the shaky part of the line. The depth might be the unit’s strongest attribute, as most of the backups can play all over the line and a few have lots of starting experience.

The Jets’ line won’t suddenly turn into the Cowboys’ or Eagles’ line, but it’s certainly a positive sign that Douglas identified and spent money on players he felt could protect Darnold better. This line is all about potential, which could either prove to be a massive success for the Jets or the reason for their downfall. For now, though, the outlook is much better for 2020 than it was at the end of 2019.

See more from Jets Wire’s Position Previews series:

QB | RB | WR | TE

Jets Rookie Power Rankings: Training camp begins

Where do New York’s rookies stand heading into training camp? Jets Wire ranks them all.

Jets Wire’s Rookie Power Rankings are back!

The beginning of training camp marks the beginning of a month-long journey through an NFL camp for New York’s rookie class. The circumstances are less than ideal with the COVID-19 pandemic still in full swing, but training camp will remain a proving ground for Gang Green’s neophytes nonetheless.

With the pads on, the stakes are higher than ever for New York’s promising nine-man 2020 draft class, as well as some undrafted free agents. The intensity and speed of the game will pick up for some and it may take a while to get adjusted. With that being said, each of the Jets’ rookies have enough talent to make some kind of impact this upcoming season.

Without further ado, here is the first edition of Jets Wire’s rookie power rankings for the 2020 season.

Everyone Else

Before we get into the top five, here is a list of Jets’ rookies who did not make the cut:

RB La’Mical Perine (Fourth-round pick)

Perine is currently New York’s No. 3 running back behind Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore, which is a good spot for a mid-round draft pick to be. However, with Bell and Gore set to dominate the bulk of the workload in the background, it remains to be seen how much playing time Perine will get at the beginning of the season.

QB James Morgan (Fourth-round pick)

Morgan enters training camp as the Jets’ No. 4 quarterback behind Sam Darnold, Joe Flacco and David Fales. Morgan is all but a lock to crack New York’s 53-man roster at the beginning of the regular season, but he cannot be included in the top five of the power rankings considering his limited role as a backup.

OL Cameron Clark (Fourth-round pick)

The Jets drafted the versatile Clark with an eye on deploying him as a backup who can line up at either guard or tackle in the event of an injury to a veteran starter. Until he enters the starting lineup for one reason or another, Clark will remain out of the top five.

CB Bryce Hall (Fifth-round pick)

Of all the draft picks not included in the initial top five, Hall has the best chance to break into the rankings in the near future. As long as he remains healthy throughout training camp, he has a shot to challenge for the No. 2 cornerback spot opposite Pierre Desir.

WR Lawrence Cager (UDFA)

WR George Campbell (UDFA)

CB Shyheim Carter (UDFA)

DT Domenique Davis (UDFA)

CB Javelin Guidry (UDFA)

OT Jared Hilbers (UDFA)

DE/OLB Bryce Huff (UDFA)

CB Lamar Jackson (UDFA)

DL Sterling Johnson (UDFA)

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Rookie linemen Mekhi Becton, Cameron Clark growing close as season nears

Mekhi Becton and Cameron Clark have grown close with each other throughout the offseason.

Two of the Jets’ 2020 draft picks are getting along quite well.

Mekhi Becton, drafted 11th overall, and Cameron Clark, picked 129th overall, have formed a tight friendship as the two prepare to start their NFL careers in New York together. From hanging out to talking football, it sounds like chemistry won’t be an issue between the two rookie linemen.

“We’ve been really close,” Clark told the Jets’ website. “There were like four or five of us that were really close when we were training and me and Mekhi were two of those guys. We were always joking and playing around together. We worked hard. We knew when to work and we knew when to play, but we always got our work in. Both of us worked extremely hard and both of us care about football a lot. So that was one thing that we just hit it off, off the bat.”

The two offensive linemen got to know each other before the 2020 NFL Draft. They trained together in Texas during the offseason with their offensive line coach, Duane Manyweather. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, however, Becton is now home in Dallas training. Clark is in Charlotte.

Becton and Clark could be fixtures on the Jets’ offensive line for years to come. Becton is in line to nab the left tackle spot this season, while Clark is more of a project with a ton of potential.

They will be able to reunite at the end of July when training camp officially opens.

With pandemic slowing sports, Jets have yet to sign any of their 2020 draft picks

The New York Jets have yet to sign any of their nine 2020 draft picks even though most of the league hasn’t signed any of their rookies.

It’s been over a month since the 2020 NFL Draft took place and none of the Jets’ draft picks are officially on the roster.

The Jets have yet to sign any of their nine picks. That includes Mekhi Becton, Denzel Mims, Ashtyn Davis, Jabari Zuniga, La’Mical Perine, James Morgan, Cameron Clark, Bryce Hall and Braden Mann.

The Jets aren’t alone in this, though. Most picks have yet to ink their contracts because of the coronavirus pandemic. Out of 255 draft picks, only 51 have officially signed with their respective teams so far.

All these rookies have yet to even enter their own training facilities. The pandemic has prevented players and coaches from stepping foot inside their training centers. As you see more facilities opening up and fewer restrictions in place, more rookies should begin signing their contracts.

For the Jets, they’ve had some issues in the past with signing rookies. Two years ago, Sam Darnold missed the first few days of training camp because his contract wasn’t signed. Just last season, Quinnen Williams held out of the first day of training camp because he couldn’t come to terms on a deal in time.

General manager Joe Douglas takes a very conservative approach when negotiating, so keep an eye on that as things progress.

At this point, it’s just a waiting game. Players need to get back to the facilities before they can start negotiating contracts. But as of now, the Jets shouldn’t be concerned with not having any of their nine rookies unsigned as the calendar flips to June.