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The injuries keep piling up for the New York Jets.
Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced at his media availability that special teams ace and wide receiver Irvin Charles suffered a torn ACL. He will be placed on injured reserve which will end his 2024 season.
“In a very tough challenging year in a lot of ways, [he] was an absolute bright spot for this team. A guy who has emerged … I really believe had he finished the season playing the way he was playing, he would have been a shoo-in for Pro Bowl as far as special teams players are concerned. He took amazing jumps, leaps, and bounds as far as his contributions for us and excited about his future. It’s just so unfortunate that the knee happened as it did. I thought it was amazing the way that you felt the sideline with an injury like that. You just felt the love and regard this team has for him and what he has meant to this team. They were shook when he got hurt,” Ulbrich explained.
A Great Story Has a Disappointing End for the Jets in 2024
Charles, 27, entered the NFL as an undrafted free agent in 2022.
During his college career, he played wide receiver and was involved in special teams. At the NFL level, the Jets allowed him to continue doing exactly that with a shot at the 90-man roster and he carved out a role.
Charles is listed at 6-foot-4 and tips the scales at 219 pounds, per the Jets’ official roster sheet. Over the last two seasons, Charles appeared in 25 games and made 14 total tackles, 11 of which were solo.
“Irv Charles finishes his 2024 season with a stellar 88.6 PFF special teams grade, ranks 5th among 215 qualifiers. Has developed into one of the most valuable ST players in the NFL. A possible Pro Bowler. Really tough break for one of the coolest Jets developmental stories,” The Jet Press wrote on social media.
Jets special teams coordinator Brant Boyer went to bat for Charles as one of the best in the league.
“Irv has had a monster year and if you could find me a better special teamer in this league I’d like to see it. There are a lot of really good players throughout the league, but as far as a dominating presence on every phase I’d like to see one that’s better than that kid,” Boyer said.
According to Spotrac, Charles is scheduled to be a restricted free agent this offseason for the Jets. The next regime will have to decide if they will tender Charles or if they will allow him to hit unrestricted free agency in 2025.
Other News and Notes on Jets Injuries Heading Into Week 15
The Jets are evaluating running back and return specialist Kene Nwangwu who has a “hand” injury and his status is up in the air.
Breece Hall is “struggling a bit” with his knee injury. The team is hopeful that Alijah Vera-Tucker will be good to go but the team isn’t sure about his status.
Haason Reddick is dealing with an illness so he won’t practice. Sauce Gardner, after missing the Miami Dolphins game with a hamstring issue, will be good to go for the Jacksonville Jaguars game.
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Jets Lose ‘Pro Bowl’ Level Standout to Season Ending Injury