Jets will also miss Quinnen Williams, C.J. Mosley
The New York Jets could be in for a rough Monday night, as Quinnen Williams and CJ Mosley have joined Sam Darnold as key players who will miss the Week 2 matchup against the Cleveland Browns.
After blowing a lead to the rival Buffalo Bills in Week 1, the last thing the New York Jets wanted heading into Week 2 was a run of serious injuries. The Jets will have to put a depleted team up against Baker Mayfield and the Cleveland Browns at home on Monday Night Football, and Sam Darnold’s absence due to mono is just the tip of the iceberg.
On Saturday, the Jets formally ruled out defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and veteran inside linebacker CJ Mosley, who looked like the team’s most important player in Week 1. Williams is dealing with a sprained ankle from Sunday’s loss to the Bills, while Mosley left the game with a groin injury that had a devastating effect on the entire defense.
Prior to leaving the game, Mosley had a pick-six in his first game with the Jets. He has looked like a game-changing signing for the Jets defense with his high football IQ, leadership, stout work against the run, and standout work in pass coverage.
A well-rounded playmaker who established himself as one of the NFL’s best three-down linebackers in Baltimore, Mosley will be missed against a Browns offense that is itching to break out after a woeful Week 1 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
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Meanwhile, Willams is also an important loss for the Jets defense. The No. 3 overall pick should be one of the most disruptive defensive tackles in the league, as he owned offensive lines while shining at Alabama in the SEC last season.
The Jets will have to hope that the Browns offense posts a second straight dud, but that prayer will likely go unanswered by Mayfield, Odell Beckham Jr., and Co. With Darnold out, the defense will be asked to do even more than usual, and it’s up to the next men up to perform without Williams and Mosley in the lineup.