FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Sam Darnold and the New York Jets are likely to be without their top two wide receivers when they play the Chiefs in Kansas City on Sunday.
Coach Adam Gase ruled out Breshad Perriman before practice Friday because the receiver remains in concussion protocol after his injury late in the Jets’ 18-10 loss to Buffalo last Sunday.
Jamison Crowder also appears unlikely to play with a groin injury that also kept him out last week.
“It’s not looking great for Sunday,” Gase acknowledged.
Crowder leads the Jets with 29 catches for 383 yards and two touchdowns despite missing three previous games.
“I really felt good yesterday when we were in practice,” Gase said. “He was limited and we were trying to put him in a position where we could figure out where he was at. I felt like he felt confident when I spoke to him on Monday and Tuesday. He felt really good, like, ‘I’m going to be good.’”
Gase said there were points in practice where Crowder “looked really good,” but there were others where the injury was clearly bothering him. Gase said there are no thoughts yet that Crowder will need surgery or be placed on injured reserve.
Perriman was injured late in the fourth quarter last week when he took a big hit from Bills safety Micah Hyde while trying to make a catch along the sideline. He appeared to briefly lose consciousness after the play, and Hyde was penalized for unnecessary roughness.
New York’s wide receiver corps was banged up throughout training camp and during the early part of the season. Rookie Denzel Mims, the team’s second-round pick, made his NFL debut last week and had four catches for 42 yards after being sidelined since the summer with hamstring injuries.
Braxton Berrios, second on the team with 15 receptions, will slide again into Crowder’s role as the slot receiver. Jeff Smith and Vyncint Smith, who both recently returned from injuries, are the Jets’ only other healthy wide receivers on the active roster.
“Those are things that you can’t really control,” Gase said. “I know it’s a great opportunity for Mims in his second game. Getting Jeff Smith, Berrios, Vyncint — maybe we’ll be able to elevate one of these practice squad guys. It’s probably harder for Sam than anybody because it’s just a different group out there.
“I look at it as it’s a great opportunity for a lot of dudes.”
New York also has Lawrence Cager, Josh Malone, D.J. Montgomery and Jaleel Scott on the practice squad. Cager and Malone have spent time on the active roster this season. Cager was activated from the practice squad injured reserve list earlier this week after hurting an ankle against Denver on Oct. 1.
In other injuries, Gase said starting safety Bradley McDougald (shoulder) and linebacker Blake Cashman (hamstring) are all out against the Chiefs. Backup offensive lineman Conor McDermott (non-COVID-19 illness) was not expected to practice for the third straight day and will be questionable.
Gase said the Jets will know more about kicker Sam Ficken’s chances of playing after practice Friday. Ficken missed last week’s game with a right groin injury. He would again be replaced by Sergio Castillo if he can’t go. Castillo, elevated from the practice squad last week, was good on his only field goal try — a 29-yarder — and extra-point attempt against Buffalo.
