Jets' Max Mitchell Did Not Suffer Season-Ending Injury

Finally some good news for the Jets as their banged-up offensive line catches a bit of a break.

The Jets suffered another blow on their offensive line on Sunday, but this time, it's not as serious of an injury as it initially appeared.

Rookie offensive tackle Max Mitchell was carted off the field in Pittsburgh with a knee injury, ruled out for the rest of the game before the Jets came back and defeated the Steelers. 

According to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network, Mitchell did not suffer a season-ending knee injury. The fourth-round pick has a dislocation and will miss several weeks, per Rapoport, but he'll be back "long before the end of the season."

Sure, it's a blow to lose Mitchell for an extended period. It hurts even more when you consider the Jets are already missing Mekhi Becton, Duane Brown and George Fant. But let's focus on the positives here for Gang Green.

Mitchell was off to a promising start in 2022, taking advantage of an opportunity in the face of adversity up front. Coaches and teammates have raved about his work behind the scenes in addition to his performance through the first three weeks of the season before his injury. 

Starting at right tackle, Mitchell has only allowed two sacks this year, per Pro Football Focus. That's pretty impressive for a tackle that had to go through the entire AFC North and their stellar pass rushers to begin his first season in the NFL.

Assuming Mitchell is able to return later this season, the Jets will have a chance to give him more playing time to prove he is a long-term answer at the position. The other question will be figuring out who starts at tackle once all of New York's injured lineman are healthy—the Jets have a lot of money invested in Brown and Fant, but Mitchell may be the future.

MORE:

• Jets' Corey Davis Sparked Comeback Win Over Steelers
• Minkah Fitzpatrick Takes Shot at Jets After Steelers' Collapse in Fourth Quarter
• Jets Overcome Mistakes in Comeback Victory Over Steelers

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