The Jets will take the field in Week 5 without several familiar names, but they did get a few key bodies back before facing a Browns team that arrives in much better shape at 3-1.
New York entered Sunday trying to stop a three-game skid after last week’s 23-12 loss to the Chicago Bears, a game that looked even more lopsided than the final score suggested. The challenge doesn’t get any easier here. Cleveland has won three straight, capped by a Thursday night division win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Todd Monken’s offense has been rolling.
For the Jets, the injury list still bites hard on offense. Running back Breece Hall, wide receiver Adonai Mitchell, left guard Dylan Parham, and linebacker Kiko Mauigoa were all ruled out.
Hall is missing his second straight game with a quad injury, leaving Braelon Allen to handle the backfield again with Isaiah Davis. Kick returner Kene Nwangwu is the only other healthy running back dressed.
Mitchell is out for a third straight game because of a finger injury, but the Jets did get veteran Tim Patrick back after activating him from injured reserve on Saturday. Patrick, who missed the first four games, should join Garrett Wilson, Isaiah Williams, and Malik McClain at receiver. The team did not elevate Sterling Shepard from the practice squad.
Parham’s absence means another start for Jordan Meredith at left guard, with Kohl Levao as the only backup interior lineman. Mauigoa’s quad injury keeps him sidelined again, and the Jets elevated undrafted rookie Jaden Keller for the second week in a row to help with linebacker depth.
There is better news on defense in the secondary and along the edge. Cornerback Jarvis Brownlee Jr. cleared concussion protocol and is expected to play, while edge rushers Kingsley Enagbare and Will McDonald were both listed as questionable but ended up active.
McDonald had shown up on the injury report as a limited participant Friday, while Enagbare returned to full participation and seems to be trending in the right direction after missing last week. That left Nate Lynn as a healthy scratch, meaning he’ll have to wait for his NFL debut.
Nahshon Wright is also inactive again and still has not played this season. Though he is the top backup outside corner, his lack of special teams value has kept him off the active list unless Brandon Stephens or Azareye'h Thomas is unavailable.
Cleveland, meanwhile, will be missing a handful of notable pieces of its own. The Browns ruled out defensive tackles Mason Graham and Mike Hall Jr., guard Teven Jenkins, tight end Carsen Ryan, and wide receiver Tylan Wallace. Graham was injured last week and is a major loss up front.
The Browns also ruled out backup quarterback Dillon Gabriel and defensive tackle Kalia Davis, though both remain on injured reserve. Cleveland is additionally down to just two healthy tight ends, Harold Fannin Jr. and Blake Whiteheart, with Carsen Ryan unavailable.
On the line, the Browns elevated Sam Kamara and Chris Williams from the practice squad to bolster the interior behind Malik Collins and Adin Huntington, who is making his first career NFL start. With both Graham and Hall out, the Jets should have a chance to lean on the run game.
Cleveland is also again without Teven Jenkins, who has yet to play this season. Rookie third-round pick Austin Barber will make another start at right guard after holding the job down well in Jenkins’ absence.
In Other News...
Former Jet Quincy Williams Just Made Week 5 Personal
Quincy Williams is already turning a routine Week 5 meeting into something with a little more edge. After leaving the Jets in free agency, the former linebacker settled in with the Browns on a new deal and has looked sharper in his new home, even if coverage remains the area that still gets exposed at times. From New Yorks side, this is one of those familiar reminders that a player who once helped anchor the middle of the defense can quickly become a problem on the other sideline.
Williams has made it clear the matchup carries extra meaning for him, too. The Jets did not bring him back, and he has embraced the chance to make them pay for it when the teams line up in Week 5. It adds a little more heat to a game that already has enough of it, and it puts one more former Jet in the spotlight with something to prove. [Read more 🡒]
Jets Win Still Left Fans Debating Geno Smith And Garrett Wilson
The Jets finally got back in the win column in Week 5, snapping a three-game losing streak and offering a reminder of how much talent still sits on the roster. Garrett Wilson was the most reliable piece on offense, finishing with seven catches for 104 yards and a touchdown, while the defense had enough impact plays to carry the day despite a rough overall showing.
Even with the victory, the conversation afterward kept circling back to Geno Smith and Wilson, a familiar split between optimism and unease. The Jets piled up 10 penalties for 102 yards, which made the margin feel a lot thinner than a win should, and Smiths uneven afternoon left the team searching for a cleaner answer at quarterback even after a productive day from its top receiver. [Read more 🡒]
Browns Rookie WR Took A Scary Hit At The Worst Time
A physical afternoon against Cleveland took an uncomfortable turn when Jets safety Minkah Fitzpatrick was penalized on the same drive for a facemask before a helmet-to-helmet shot sent Browns rookie receiver KC Concepcion to the sideline. The hit drew immediate attention because it came in the middle of an already chippy sequence, adding another layer to a game that had no shortage of contact.
Concepcion did not return after the injury, and the Browns now have to wait on his status as he goes through concussion protocol ahead of the next matchup. For the Jets, it was the sort of play that can linger well beyond the down itself, especially when a defensive drive already included more than one penalty. [Read more 🡒]