The New York Jets took a significantly blow on defense. The team announced on Saturday that it had downgraded All-Pro cornerback Sauce Gardner's injury status for the Week 6 game against the Philadelphia Eagles to out due to a concussion.
Gardner did not appear to be in the concussion protocol during the week. He was not in the team's injury report on Wednesday or Thursday, and then was listed as a Friday DNP due to an illness. It appears that illness may have included concussion-related symptoms.
Gardner downplayed the injury on social media, saying: "I feel perfectly fine. That's the crazy part about it."
I feel perfectly fine. That's the crazy part about it
— SAUCE GARDNER (@iamSauceGardner) October 14, 2023
Gardner is not the only cornerback who will miss the game due to a concussion. D.J. Reed, who plays across from Gardner in the New York secondary, is also out against Philadelphia with a concussion. He was limited in practice on Wednesday and Thursday, then did not practice on Friday and was ruled out in the final injury report. Brandin Echols was also ruled out for the game with a hamstring injury.
In their absence, New York will likely have to turn to slot corner Michael Carter and backup Bryce Hall. The Jets also called up Craig James and Ke'Montae Hayes from the practice squad, as they did not have any other cornerbacks on the active roster with the aforementioned trio out. Either way, they are likely to also use more multi-safety sets, with any or all of Jordan Whitehead, Tony Adams, Adrian Amos and Ashtyn Davis seeing increased snaps.
It's about as bad a matchup as possible to be missing your top corners, as the Eagles sport one of the NFL's best wide receiver duos in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith.
