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To many New York Jets fans, October 24 was a reminder of countless years of struggle and misery.
Even optimistic supporters like myself couldn’t help but shudder at the recent Zach Wilson update, coupled with an absolutely gut-wrenching defeat in New England. Ring the bell ref! We’ve all had enough!
For a franchise as unfortunate as the Jets, however, there’s always more bad news to be had and we just received word that a key rookie’s season has ended because of a torn Achilles.
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Jamien Sherwood Suffers Torn Achilles
Any time a Jets player is thrust into the spotlight, you generally find out later that week that they have suffered a major injury. For linebacker Jamien Sherwood, Week 7 was that moment and although it didn’t go as planned on Sunday, the rookie had been gaining valuable experience after a challenging position change from safety to MIKE-backer.
Now according to NFL insider Adam Schefter, he’ll miss the remainder of 2021 and beyond with the same injury that took down Carl Lawson when this cycle of negativity began back in August.
Sherwood took over for captain C.J. Mosley, a tall task for a first-year player — and the results speak for themselves. The Auburn product wasn’t ready for such a role and his coaches should have determined that before the game.
Yes, the Jets were thin at linebacker but allow someone else to relay to plays on defense, whether that’s Marcus Maye or Quincy Williams. This unit was lost in Week 7 and the lack of leadership on the field was evident without Mosley.
Sherwood finished with two solo tackles (and not much else) off 50 defensive snaps. He left the game with the aforementioned injury.
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Young Linebacker Duo Doesn’t Last in Year One
Sherwood and fellow rookie Hamsah Nasirildeen received a ton of hype from their teammates and this coaching staff over the summer, but both ended up looking outmatched and undersized in their new roles.
The college safeties were attempting a tough transition and I don’t mean to disparage them, but the only way to improve is by taking live reps and now the pair of youngsters are both sidelined indefinitely. Sherwood will certainly miss a year and change if the Achilles reports are true and Nasirildeen is currently on the injured reserve.
The Florida State product is expected to return at some point soon, but he’s become more of a special teamer at this stage of his development. Veteran Jarrad Davis could also rejoin the franchise in Week 8. The former Detroit Lions’ first-round pick has yet to play a regular-season snap for the Jets.
Going forward, the 2021 linebacker core should be some combination of Mosley, Davis and Williams, assuming health. One of those three is an impending free agent (Davis) and another is expected to be replaced as a cap casualty down the line (Mosley).
There’s no denying it, the long-term plans on defense just took a huge hit.
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