During a dramatic New York Jets blowout win over the Miami Dolphins, Gang Green suffered a key loss on the defensive side of the ball.
First-round defensive lineman Jermaine Johnson suffered an ankle injury during the game and had to be carted off the field to the locker room, per Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic.
Scary Situation With Jermaine Johnson, Sends Positive Update
After the game head coach Robert Saleh simply called it an ankle injury at the podium and said he will be evaluated on Monday to see the full extent of the damage.
Rosenblatt spotted JJ in the locker room sporting a “walking boot” on his right foot.
Jermaine Johnson is walking with a boot on his right foot.
Initially, the former Florida State product was ruled as questionable to return but before the game was complete, he was officially ruled out.
On the CBS television broadcast, they reported that Johnson was walking with a “heavy limp” and was “very distraught” from the pain he was in.
Despite those reports, Johnson sent out a positive message after the game tweeting, “I’m good! Great team win!!”
I’m good! Great team win!! 🖤
Great Defensive Line Depth Should Help Jermaine Johnson’s Injury
You never want to see injuries, especially to top-end talent like first-rounders.
However, the JJ pick was a bit of a luxury considering the depth of the Jets’ defensive line and their patented rotation strategy.
If an injury was going to happen to any of the premium draft choices, Johnson would be the one you’d pick.
He is an uber-talented player that has really taken advantage of his snaps. However, the defensive line is the epitome of a next-man-up strategy with the Jets.
They possess so much youth, star power, and veterans sprinkled in that they should be fine covering for any missed time if there even is any for Johnson.
Just to illustrate the insane depth that the Jets have on the defensive line, most people forgot that Vinny Curry was still even on the team.
Last week during head coach Robert Saleh’s second press conference he was asked about Curry last second because even the media seemingly forgot about him. He, just like Duane Brown, was eligible to come off of injured reserve and activate their 21-day window.
What seemed like a luxury earlier in the week could very well become a necessity pending this JJ injury situation.
This could also open the door for fellow rookie Micheal Clemons. He was a preseason star but was immediately buried on the depth chart because of all the other bodies in the room.
Clemons is an intense individual that is older than the typical first-year player coming in. So instead of a raw player, you have a well-developed one. In addition to that high floor, Clemons is an incredibly versatile player.
Throughout the offseason, Saleh praised him for the versatility to line up at multiple positions in the trenches. Not only does that make him an intriguing chess piece but that obviously provides a bigger scope for playing time.
The more things you can do, the more attractive you are to the team and its coaching staff. This unfortunate situation could result in the blossoming of Clemons during the regular season.
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Jets First Rounder Sends Strong Message After Being Carted Off