It’s becoming less likely that Jets receiver Garrett Wilson will play against the Panthers this Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Wilson hurt his knee during the recent game against the Broncos in London and, as of Thursday, he hasn’t practiced for the second day in a row.
Jets coach Aaron Glenn was unavailable for comments, which is usually the case for him. Wilson was approached by team officials about speaking with reporters but opted not to.
Given the offense’s struggles in the previous game—where they lost 13-11 to the Broncos—losing Wilson, who’s been the standout offensive player, could complicate things even more.
In his absence, other receivers will need to step up. Wilson leads the team with 36 catches for 395 yards and four touchdowns.
On a more positive note, Josh Reynolds returned to practice after dealing with back discomfort on Wednesday. He had a decent game, racking up eight catches for 72 yards.
Allen Lazard, who was absent last week due to the birth of his first child, and rookie Arian Smith both had four catches but managed only 24 yards each. Tyler Johnson also had four catches, totaling 72 yards.
This means the receivers filling in for Wilson have collectively only managed 30 receptions for 184 yards and one touchdown, which isn’t quite the production expected.
Offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand expressed confidence in the remainder of the group. “They’re all professional football players for a reason. We believe they can step up,” he said.
“We have to stay focused. We know we’ll miss G, but we can’t linger on that,” Reynolds added. “We need to keep pushing forward.”
Smith mentioned he would be open to more passing chances and reiterated the team’s bond: “We’re a brotherhood, and G wants us to win, so we need to get out there and play.”
Looking to injuries beyond Wilson, cornerback Quantez Stigers and linebacker Cam Jones were unable to practice due to hip injuries sustained against Denver. Meanwhile, cornerback Michael Carter II is in concussion protocol but participated fully in practice and just needs clearance to play this weekend.
For the Panthers, guard Damian Lewis missed practice with a chest issue. Linebacker Pat Jones II also sat out due to a back problem, while cornerback Jaycee Horn, who didn’t practice the day before, was back on the field, as was tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, who had an ankle issue.
After a rough showing in London, Engstrand took ownership of the offensive shortcomings. “What we did wasn’t good enough, whether it was the run game, passing game, or my own role,” he admitted.
When questioned about why running back Breece Hall didn’t get any targets in the last game, Engstrand’s explanation felt a bit convoluted. “That’s a valid question,” he said, while noting the Broncos were leading in sacks, which forced adjustments in protection that might have affected Hall’s opportunities.
Screen passes to running backs can often disrupt the opposing defense, so it’s curious why they weren’t utilized better.
