Azareye'h Thomas: Everything you need to know

The Jets placed Thomas (shoulder) on injured reserve Saturday. Thomas has been dealing with a shoulder issue since last week's loss to the Dolphins, and he was already ruled out for this Sunday's contest versus Jacksonville. He'll now shift to IR for the remainder of the regular season, which will effectively end his 2025 campaign since the Jets have already been eliminated from playoff contention. Thomas tallied 22 tackles and seven passes defended across 12 appearances during his 2025 rookie season. In his absence, Qwan'tez Stiggers and/or Tre Brown should be in line for bigger roles opposite starting cornerback Brandon Stephens.

Jets head coach Aaron Glenn said Friday that Thomas (shoulder) is ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jaguars. Thomas suffered a shoulder injury Week 14 against the Dolphins but managed to retake the field and finish out that contest, so it's somewhat surprising to see him unable to play versus Jacksonville. Qwan'tez Stiggers and Ja'Sir Taylor will be candidates to inherit substantial roles on defense for as long as Thomas remains sidelined.

Thomas (shoulder) did not participate in Wednesday's practice. Thomas briefly left during the second quarter of this past Sunday's loss to the Dolphins, but he was cleared to return in the same frame and finished with two solo tackles and one pass defense while playing 59 of 65 defensive snaps (90.8 percent). His ability to return to the game indicates that the shoulder issue isn't a severe one, but the rookie third-rounder's practice participation over the next two days will shed light on his chances of playing this Sunday against Jacksonville. Thomas has started in each of his last five games, accumulating 18 tackles (12 solo), including two tackles for a loss, and five pass defenses over that span.