Jets' Duane Brown Could Miss Opener Against Ravens With Shoulder Injury
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Duane Brown, who was meant to be a savior on the Jets' offensive line, is now in danger of missing New York's opener against the Ravens on Sunday.
The veteran offensive tackle—signed a few weeks ago to replace an injured Mekhi Becton up front—missed practice on Wednesday, popping up on Gang Green's first injury report of the season with a shoulder injury.
The next day, Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters that Brown won't practice again on Thursday.
Brown, 37, was already working in a time crunch, trying to get ready for Week 1. He was signed on a two-year deal a little under a month ago, ramping up in practice into the preseason.
If Brown can't suit up this week against Baltimore, New York will be forced to promote one of their backups into a starting role. That means either Conor McDermott, a veteran that was recently re-signed for some additional depth, or rookie Max Mitchell, who hasn't taken an NFL snap yet.
Perhaps the Jets will move George Fant—New York's starting right tackle—back to the left side in Brown's place. That likely depends on how long he'll be out.
The rest of New York's offensive line is intact. Still, this situation could've been prevented if the Jets signed a swing tackle like they did last year in Morgan Moses, a decision that helped them avoid a disastrous scenario when Becton got hurt. Brown was picked up after Becton's latest injury with no other experienced and impactful depth behind him.
Moving forward with one of their backups for a few games isn't the end of the world. After all, that's what the Jets are doing at quarterback, using Joe Flacco in place of Zach Wilson (who is still working back from knee surgery). But if Brown's shoulder injury is serious, the Jets are going to be in serious trouble.
MORE:
- Robert Saleh: Facing Lamar Jackson Is 'Ultimate Challenge'
- Jets' Zach Wilson Has No Plans to Change Play Style After Knee Injury
- Jets' Zach Wilson Out Until Week 4; What it Means
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