The Jets will be shorthanded when they take on the Lions, and the biggest name on the inactive list is Minkah Fitzpatrick.
New York released its Week 3 inactives less than two hours before kickoff, and Fitzpatrick is out again as he continues to work through the groin injury he suffered in Week 1. That’s a tough miss against a Detroit offense that has topped 30 points in each of its first two games.
Adonai Mitchell will also sit after dealing with a finger injury this week. That one stings too. Mitchell led the Jets with 11 targets last week against the Green Bay Packers, and with Detroit showing vulnerability on big plays, New York will have to find another way to stretch the field.
Without Mitchell, the Jets’ active receiver group is Garrett Wilson, Isaiah Williams, Sterling Shepard, Jamaal Pritchett, and Malik McClain. Pritchett and McClain were elevated from the practice squad to help on special teams with Marcelino McCrary-Ball and Arian Smith unavailable. Shepard, an 11-year veteran, is also set for his Jets debut after joining the practice squad last week.
That shortage at receiver could push Kenyon Sadiq into a bigger role, and the matchup lines up well. The Lions are missing four safeties and have already given up four touchdowns to tight ends, most in the league, along with the second-most yards to the position through two games. With Mason Taylor also out because of a thumb injury, Sadiq and the Jets’ tight ends have a real chance to be featured.
The rest of the inactive list includes RB/KR Kene Nwangwu, LB Kiko Mauigoa, and CB Nahshon Wright. Nwangwu is still out with a back injury and has not played this season. Mauigoa will miss a second straight game with a quadriceps injury.
Wright is inactive for the first time this year after not playing a snap so far. His ball skills have always stood out, but the Jets have not seen enough to outweigh the coverage issues he had last season, especially with Azareye’h Thomas and Brandon Stephens playing well.
His limited positional value also works against him, since Jordan Clark’s versatility gives him an edge. Wright is a boundary corner only, at 6-foot-4 and 190 pounds.
On the other side of the ledger, Joseph Ossai and D’Angelo Ponds are active for the first time this season. Ponds is set to appear in his first NFL game, and it will be worth watching how Aaron Glenn uses both players. Kingsley Enagbare has been strong in Ossai’s spot, while Jarvis Brownlee Jr. has handled the slot well with Ponds out, so neither newcomer is stepping into an open lane.
With kickoff nearing, the Jets are missing several important pieces - but they’ll also get their first look this season at Ossai and Ponds.
In Other News...
Jets Suddenly Have A Bigger Breece Hall Problem
The Jets were already scrambling in Week 3 against the Lions without several key starters, and the injury list only grew from there. One of the biggest concerns came when Breece Hall went out with a thigh injury, forcing New York to adjust on the fly in a game where depth was already being tested.
Hall sounded unsure afterward about just how serious the issue might be, which is where the real concern starts for the Jets. Braelon Allen handled the lead-back role once Hall exited, but for a team trying to piece together its offense through injuries, any uncertainty around Hall carries obvious weight going forward. [Read more 🡒]
Dan Campbell Just Gave Jets Fans A Reason To Reconsider Aaron Glenn
Aaron Glenns first season has come with plenty of scrutiny, especially when late-game decisions and clock management have left Jets fans grumbling. But after a tight loss to the Lions, Dan Campbell offered a different perspective on the coachs work, praising Glenn publicly and crediting him for how hard the Jets made the game. For a team that has spent much of the year fighting through injuries and a difficult schedule, it was another sign that the performance level has been trending in a better direction even when the results have not always followed.
Campbells endorsement carries some weight because of his history with Glenn, and it arrives at a time when the Jets are still sorting out what their present and future should look like under him. There has been visible progress from a roster that leaned on contributions from Geno Smith, Kenyon Sadiq and Garrett Wilson to stay competitive against a strong opponent, even if the final score again left room for frustration. The broader question now is whether the improvement around Glenn is enough to quiet the criticism, or whether the conversation around him will keep coming back to the same lingering issues. [Read more 🡒]
Aaron Glenn Just Gave Jets Fans Their Most Encouraging Sign Yet
The Jets left Detroit with a loss, but there were clear signs of a team starting to look more organized under Aaron Glenn. Against a Lions squad that can overwhelm opponents, New York stayed competitive throughout a 31-24 defeat in Week 3, and the little details were better too. Situational awareness and clock management, both areas that have hurt this group before, were noticeably sharper even as the roster dealt with injuries and a talent gap.
Geno Smiths afternoon also offered a real reason for optimism. He completed 31 of 37 passes for 320 yards and three touchdowns, giving the Jets the kind of efficient, productive quarterback play that can keep them in games if the rest of the operation continues to clean itself up. For a team still trying to establish Glenns standard, the result was disappointing, but the process looked more like progress than setback. [Read more 🡒]