Saleh, key Jets cleared to return after COVID
The Jets got their head coach back on Wednesday. And a few key players, too.
With new NFL COVID protocols going into effect on Tuesday night, Robert Saleh and multiple players were able to return to Gang Green’s Florham Park practice facility.
The returning players to the active roster included starting slot cornerback Michael Carter II, defensive lineman Foley Fatukasi, backup QB Joe Flacco, defensive tackle Jonathan Marshall, linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen and tight end Kenny Yeboah.
Linebacker Noah Dawkins, cornerback Lamar Jackson and defensive lineman Tanzel Smart returned to the practice squad.
The NFL and NFLPA agreed to alter the league’s COVID protocols on Tuesday after new CDC guidelines were released. The CDC cut the isolation period after a positive test for asymptomatic individuals from 10 days to five days.
That’s why the Jets were able to activate so many players Wednesday after playing Sunday’s game against the Jaguars with 19 players unavailable due to NFL protocols. And most importantly, Saleh is back after missing Gang Green’s 26-21 win over the Jaguars after testing positive last Wednesday.
“It’s like the first day of school,” Saleh said. “Ready to go another 18 weeks.”
Saleh returned to the building after having isolated himself at a local hotel, but the Jets were still meeting virtually. They only gathered as a group for practice and the rookie head coach said he was pleased with the professionalism the Jets demonstrated amidst the chaos.
“What I love is the character of our locker room. The way they’ve attacked this and the way they’ve kept the spirits up and the way the zoom meetings have been very interactive. And now we’ll get to see practice here in a minute, but guys have a tremendous mindset to them. They’ve been completely locked in . ...
“The locker room is in a good place and ready to attack some of this.”
The Jets are “hopeful” other players on the COVID-19 list will return this week as the Jets prepare for Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4) on Sunday afternoon at MetLife Stadium (left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, right guard Laurent Duvernay-Tardif and wide receiver Vyncint Smith on the offensive side of the ball along with defensive ends John Franklin-Myers and Hamilcar Rashed and safety Ashytn Davis).
Saleh was less optimistic about the remaining group still in COVID protocols for Sunday’s game. He labeled this group — tight end Tyler Kroft, cornerback Bryce Hall, defensive lineman Jabari Zuniga, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams and practice squad linebacker LaRoy Reynolds — “50-50.”
If Kroft can’t return, the Jets are left with Yeboah and Dan Brown at the tight end spot. Gang Green signed former Philadelphia Eagles tight end Josh Perkins to the practice squad on Wednesday. Perkins, 28, was with the 49ers before he was cut in August. He hasn’t played in a game since 2019 with the Eagles.
Another important offensive piece the Jets are waiting on is rookie wide receiver Elijah Moore.
Moore was playing lights out before he suffered a quad injury against the Eagles on Dec. 5. In Moore’s last four games, he produced 308 receiving yards with three touchdowns. But the quad injury forced him to the injured reserve list and then the following week he landed on the COVID-19 list.
Saleh doesn’t have a timetable on the second-round pick’s return.
“He’s also in that 50-50 range. He’s in the same boat as [Jamison] Crowder,” Saleh said. “So, we’re still working on him, trying to get back. We haven’t activated him from IR or cleared to practice yet. So, there’s still stuff that we’re trying to clear physically with a quad.”
INJURY REPORT
Crowder missed last week’s game against the Jaguars with a calf injury and didn’t practice on Wednesday. Based on Saleh’s comments from Wednesday it’ll be a game-time decision as it sounds like he won’t practice much this week.
Safety Elijah Riley returned to practice as a full participant after missing Sunday’s game with a scary concussion that he suffered against the Dolphins in Week 15.
Sheldon Rankins missed Wednesday practice with a knee injury, but Saleh viewed it as a precautionary rest day to allow his knee to heal up by Sunday.