Two major contributors to the New York Jets’ offense have been placed on injured reserve as they’re set to return to MetLife Stadium.
As the New York Jets return to MetLife Stadium to battle the Miami Dolphins on Sunday (1 p.m. ET, CBS), they’ll be without two of their biggest scoreboard contributors. The team announced earlier this week that running back La’Mical Perine and kicker Sam Ficken were placed on injured reserve. Perine’s fellow rusher Josh Adams and tight end Ross Travis have been promoted from the practice squad.
Perine suffered a high-ankle sprain during Sunday’s loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, an injury that kept him out of the majority of the second half. A fourth-round pick out of Florida, Perine has been splitting the top rushing duties with Frank Gore since Le’Veon Bell’s release. He has tallied 202 yards on the ground this season, ninth amongst rookie rushers in the NFL. Perine also leads the Jets (0-10) with two rushing touchdowns this season, the latter coming on Sunday in Los Angeles on the Jets’ opening drive.
Ficken had already missed three games this season with a groin injury. Sunday’s date in Los Angeles marked his return, but Ficken missed two extra point in the Jets’ 34-28 defeat. It marred what has otherwise been a strong season for the Penn State alum, who leads the Jets with 35 points tallied this season. The failed extra points were his first misses on scores after touchdowns, while he has also converted 9-of-10 field goal attempts, including a career-long 54 yarder in an October loss to Denver. Sergio Castillo will resume the green kicking duties, having gone 6-of-7 in the previous three Ficken-free games. Castillo previously partook in both CFL and XFL action, earning an All-Star nomination with the former’s BC Lions in 2019.
Adams returns to the Jets’ active roster, having previously partaken in the first two games of the season as a substitute for the injured Perine, scoring a touchdown in their opening weekend loss in Buffalo. He began his NFL career under the watch of current Jets general manager Joe Douglas, having arrived as an undrafted free agent out of Notre Dame in 2018. The veteran Travis has been on and off the Jets’ practice squad and active roster in each of the past two seasons. He played a handful of snaps in the Jets’ Monday night loss to New England on November 9.
In another roster move, the Jets released quarterback Mike White and immediately signed him to the practice squad, increasing the likelihood of franchise quarterback Sam Darnold returning to the lineup from a shoulder injury.
Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags