Jets' Marcus Maye to Miss 3-4 Weeks With Ankle Injury
Injuries are beginning to pile up for the Jets in Week 4.
Safety Marcus Maye popped up on New York's injury report on Wednesday, listed with an ankle injury. It turns out that this is more than a minor injury for the leader of this secondary.
Maye will be sidelined for the next three-to-four weeks, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
With fellow safety Lamarcus Joyner already out for the rest of the season, this is a huge blow to New York's secondary.
After a contract stalemate this offseason, the 28-year-old entered his fifth season with the Jets under the franchise tag. Sour negotiations aside, Maye was poised to play a significant role in New York's young secondary, helping to guide an inexperienced unit full of rookies.
Plus, Joyner isn't the only other key contributor on the defensive side of the ball that's missing a significant period of time due to injury this season. Both defensive linemen Carl Lawson (Achilles) and Vinny Curry (rare blood disorder) are out for the year while linebacker Jarrad Davis is out for multiple months with his own ankle injury.
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Maye's injury leaves the Jets with only two safeties remaining on their active roster. Veterans Adrian Colbert and Jarrod Wilson will surely enter expanded roles going forward.
That said, there are two reinforcements that could help fill Maye's shoes. Ashtyn Davis and Sharrod Neasman both returned to practice this week. Head coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday that both safeties could be active on Sunday.
Regardless, Maye's presence both on and off the field is going to be hard to replace. The Florida product has accumulated 23 tackles this season with one sack and one pass defended. He's the only player to appear in all 100 percent of the Jets' defensive snaps through the first three games of the season.
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