Struggling Jets won't have starting corners
Sauce Gardner was downgraded Saturday to out with a concussion, leaving the New York Jets without their top two starting cornerbacks for their game against the Philadelphia Eagles.
Gardner was added to the Jets' injury report Friday with what the team called an “illness,” although coach Robert Saleh said before practice he thought last season's AP Defensive Rookie of the Year would be fine to play today.
Gardner was a full participant at practice Wednesday and Thursday before sitting out Friday.
“I feel perfectly fine. That's the crazy part about it,” he posted Saturday on X, formerly known as Twitter.
The Jets already were without D.J. Reed, who is missing his second straight game — also with a concussion — against an Eagles wide receivers group that includes arguably the best duo in the NFL with A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
Nickelback Michael Carter II and backup Bryce Hall were the only healthy cornerbacks on New York's active roster before Craig James and Ke'Montae Hayes were elevated from the practice squad Saturday.
EAGLES AILING TOO » Philadelphia will be without rookie defensive tackle Jalen Carter, the undefeated Eagles' sacks leader who has been ruled out with an ankle injury that occurred during practice Wednesday and kept him out the next two days. The ninth overall pick in April out of Georgia has 3 1/2 sacks in his first five NFL games.
Defensive tackle Fletcher Cox was removed from the injury report and should help make up for Carter's absence after the veteran missed Philadelphia's win over the Rams last Sunday with a back injury.
Cornerback Darius Slay missed practice all week with a knee injury after playing the entire game against the Rams. He could be replaced by Josh Jobe opposite James Bradberry.
Safety Justin Evans (knee) was placed on injured reserve, and wide receiver Quez Watkins was also ruled out with a hamstring injury.
WALKER GETS NOD FOR BROWNS » P.J. Walker will start in place of injured Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson today when Cleveland hosts undefeated San Francisco.
Watson is missing his second straight game with a right shoulder bruise that has prevented him from throwing the ball with enough velocity to play.
Walker, who was signed to the practice squad in August, was elevated to Cleveland's No. 2 quarterback earlier this week. He leapfrogged rookie Dorian Thompson-Robinson, who started for Watson on Oct. 1 and had a rocky NFL debut in a loss to the Ravens.
GIANTS' JONES OUT » New York Giants quarterback Daniel Jones will not play against the Bills because of a neck injury.
Veteran backup Tyrod Taylor, who spent three seasons with the Bills, will start for New York, his first start since late in 2021.
KITTLE FINED BY NFL » 49ers tight end George Kittle was fined more than $13,000 by the NFL for wearing a profane T-shirt about the Cowboys.
Kittle wore a T-shirt under his uniform last Sunday night that said “F Dallas” with the rest of the first word hidden by white tape. He exposed it to the national television audience after a touchdown run in the fourth quarter by Jordan Mason.
The league announced that Kittle was fined $13,659 for the infraction.
Kittle said earlier in the week that he expected to be fined but said it would be worth the penalty “100%. I'd do it again.”
The shirt was an homage to the rivalry between the teams in the 1990s, when 49ers linebacker Gary Plummer wore a similar T-shirt during the 1994 NFC title game against Dallas that San Francisco won on the way to a Super Bowl title.