The New York Jets will be without cornerback Dee Milliner for 6-8 weeks after undergoing wrist surgery.
The New York Jets made a big push this past offseason to strengthen the team’s secondary, spending some big bucks to bring back cornerbacks Darrelle Revis and Antonio Cromartie. In a division that features Tom Brady and the Patriots, not to mention rising Dolphins quarterback Ryan Tannehill, improving their pass defense was going to be a key to their success in 2015.
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Unfortunately, the team’s depth took a big hit on Friday.
According to ESPN, cornerback Dee Milliner will miss the next 6-8 weeks as he recovers from wrist surgery. The injury occurred during practice on Thursday, when Milliner suffered a tendon injury in his right wrist. This latest injury was another blow in what has been a disappointing career for the 23-year-old Milliner.
Drafted with the 9th overall pick in the 2013 draft, the former Alabama product was expected to replace Revis when the Jets traded the elder corner to the Tampa Bay Bucaneers prior to the 2013 season. However, his first year results left a lot to be desired, with Milliner starting just 12 games during his rookie season, collecting three interceptions, 45 tackles, and 15 pass deflections. All told, he had an approximate value of five for his rookie season, far below expectations.
Things took a decided turn for the worse in 2014. After missing the opener against the Oakland Raiders due to an ankle injury suffered in training camp, Milliner started two of the next three games. However, he left a Week Six match-up with the Denver Broncos an Achilles injury that was later revealed to be a tear and missed the rest of 2014. All told, Milliner would collect just five tackles and two passes defended last season, leading to an approximate value of one.
It has been a tough run of injuries for Milliner. In addition to the wrist and Achillies issues at the NFL level, Milliner has endured numerous other surgeries, including one for a torn labrum during Alabama’s championship run in 2013. All told, Milliner underwent five separate surgeries during his playing days at Alabama, according to Dom Cosentino at NJ.com.
The Jets also lost safety Antonio Allen to a torn Achilles tendon on Thursday, depleting their secondary just a week into training camp.
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