Getty New York Jets linebacker Quincy Williams will not play in Week 4.
The New York Jets decided not to use any practice squad elevations in Week 3 but that trend will not continue against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On October 1, team reporter Ethan Greenberg revealed that the coaching staff would call up linebacker Hamsah Nasirildeen and offensive tackle Grant Hermanns. This will be the first time the second-year defender contributes on the active roster — assuming he plays on Sunday.
Hermanns, on the other hand, has already been elevated twice. Per NFL rules, this is the final time the Jets can promote the blocker without signing him to the official 53.
Jets Strengthen LB & OT After Injuries
It should come as no surprise that Gang Green has chosen to bulk up at the two positions where injuries have plagued them in recent weeks. In fact, ESPN’s Rich Cimini predicted these two elevations the night before on September 30.
Offensive tackle is more obvious. It’s been an issue ever since Mekhi Becton’s training camp demise and it’s only gone downhill from there.
The Jets have already signed four veterans at O-tackle if you count Conor McDermott, who re-signed after being cut in August. The others are Duane Brown (IR), Cedric Ogbuehi and Mike Remmers — but the latter two only joined the organization this week.
McDermott is set to start at left tackle in Pittsburgh, with Hermanns and Ogbuehi on the roster in case of emergency. Rookie Max Mitchell will log his fourth-straight start at right tackle.
Nasirildeen’s promotion is useful in two ways. With the injury to Quincy Williams, he’ll first serve as linebacker depth behind starters C.J. Mosley, Kwon Alexander, and Marcell Harris — who stepped into Williams’ role last week. The elevation would fall in as the fifth LB behind fellow 2021 draft pick Jamien Sherwood.
He’d also help on special teams. Nasirildeen has had his troubles transitioning to linebacker but he’s always displayed a strong ability on Brant Boyer’s ST unit.
These are sound choices by head coach Robert Saleh and his staff.
Jets Insider Predicts Week 4 Inactives
Speaking of Mr. Cimini, the long-time NYJ beat reporter has a great habit of predicting the Sunday inactives the night before they occur.
For the Week 4 clash with the Steelers, Cimini tweeted the following: “Projecting Jets inactives; QB Mike White, WR Denzel Mims, TE Lawrence Cager, OT Cedric Ogbuehi, LB Quincy Williams, DL Jacob Martin, S Will Parks. A hunch DE Bryce Huff will be active. CB Bryce Hall could be up because Brandin Echols has been dealing with [a] hamstring [ailment].”
Projecting #Jets inactives: QB Mike White, WR Denzel Mims, TE Lawrence Cager, OT Cedric Ogbuehi, LB Quincy Williams, DL Jacob Martin, S Will Parks.
A hunch DE Bryce Huff will be active. CB Bryce Hall could be up because Brandin Echols has been dealing with hamstring.
If Cimini is correct, it will be the first time Huff suits up in 2022. Fans have been begging to see the pass rusher in action after his stellar preseason finale against the New York Giants.
The Jets’ defensive line has not lived up to its preseason billing this fall. Perhaps, Huff is the spark plug that gets this unit going.
As for his other selections, White makes sense as the third quarterback on the roster and Williams has already been labeled “out” on the injury report. Mims has also been a healthy scratch every week this season, so that’s a good bet in Pittsburgh too.
Draft pick Jeremy Ruckert has also replaced Cager in recent weeks after he struggled in the opener. That could certainly continue here in Week 4.
Martin takes Huff’s place and Ogbuehi has logged very few practices with the franchise — although I could see Saleh keeping him active as additional insurance at OT. The final prediction is Parks, who is currently the fifth safety on the roster.