The New York Jets are getting some reinforcements ahead of the Week 3 matchup against the Detroit Lions.
Pass rusher Joseph Ossai and rookie cornerback D’Angelo Ponds are set to make their debut for the green and white.
Ossai was limited for two of the three practices this week with a foot issue, but he was a full participant on Friday. Head coach Aaron Glenn cracked a smile when asked about his availability on Sunday, but refused to reveal that information days before.
Ponds hurt his calf at the beginning of training camp. He missed the next six weeks because of that issue. However, he had recently returned on a limited basis. This week he wasn’t listed on the injury report at all. Coach Glenn had previously explained that for Ponds, it was about getting the physical football reps. Apparently, he has received enough of those for the team to feel confident in him for some NFL action.
Glenn Has Even More Soldiers in the Army
According to ESPN, through the first two weeks of the 2026 regular season, the Jets have the No. 1 defense in the NFL in total yards allowed per game (197).
Brian Costello of the New York Post revealed on X that the Jets have the No. 1 total defense in the league, No. 2 against the run, No. 2 against the pass, and they have the 6th-best scoring defense in the league.
Some people have given coach Glenn credit for saying calling plays was his “superpower.” He put his money where his mouth was and delivered. However, there are still others who remain nonbelievers.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini said the Jets No. 1 defense is a “mirage.”
“Mirage. No doubt, the defense has improved from last season (25th), but No. 1 in the league? Let’s tap the brakes. The Jets have yet to face a top-shelf offense. Ordinarily, the Packers could be in that category, but they were compromised without running back Josh Jacobs (commissioner exempt list) and with a patchwork offensive line. Despite an overtime loss, the Jets held Green Bay to 199 yards. We’ll know a lot more about New York’s defense on Sunday against the Lions,” Cimini wrote.
Bad News on the Injury Report
Seven Jets players were named inactive for the Week 3 matchup. Most of them weren’t surprising, but one was truly bummer news: wide receiver Adonai Mitchell.
Mitchell popped up on the injury report in the middle of the week with a finger. He was limited in practice on Thursday and Friday ahead of the game. When head coach Aaron Glenn was asked about it on Friday, he tried to downplay it with his body language, but he refused to say whether or not AD would be good to go for the game.
A photo of Mitchell’s injury went viral on social media from practice. He appeared to be wearing heavy bandaging or a cast with the resemblance of an oven mitt. It made it hard to envision Mitchell playing in a game with that type of cast on.
Jets Get Major Defensive Boost Right Before Lions Game