The New York Jets had a ton of hope in 2023 that never materialized for several reasons. Injuries including Aaron Rodgers’s Achilles injury and several other key losses down the stretch scuttled what could have been a promising run toward a playoff spot. Other factors including coaching and overall player talent especially on the offensive side of the ball contributed towards this, but the Jets never quite put it together in 2023.
There were once again plenty of departures and new faces in the offseason with the hopes that this new iteration of the Jets could pull it off. While they moved on from players such as Bryce Huff, Zach Wilson, and Mekhi Becton, they still have a lot of work to do to ensure all the new pieces fit together. There is a lot of hope from this team and while they do have the talent and defense, hope is still a dangerous drug.
Below are all the notable injuries from 2023 and concerns heading into 2024.
Offense | Defense | Free Agency | Draft Picks
Offense
QB Aaron Rodgers (Achilles Tear)
Probably the biggest reason for the Jets’ failure to meet expectations last year, Rodgers will be returning following his Achilles tear just four snaps into the 2023 season.
While Rodgers did say he would be able to return if the Jets were in playoff contention last year, that was never quite realistic given the timeline for Achilles repairs. When he does return, I do expect to see a slight decline in his play, but that may be due to his age as well. The Jets’ success or failures will ride with Aaron Rodgers this season. To read more, click here.
G Wes Schweitzer (Calf)
Schweitzer missed a total of 11 games with a four-game IR stint as he battled through a nagging calf injury. Calf injuries are tricky and it’s not surprising that he had repeated setbacks last season, but the bigger concern will be whether he was able to rehab and work to minimize a further recurrence in 2024.
G Alijah Vera-Tucker (Achilles Tear)
AVT suffered an Achilles tear in Week 5, ending his season. Considering he tore in early October, he should be on track to be ready for training camp. This injury comes after he missed the majority of 2022 due to a torn triceps.
This is more unlucky than anything else having back-to-back injuries of this magnitude. He may require some time to knock off the rust after missing significant time last year, but considering he plays guard, he may be able to return to form more reliably than if he was playing tackle.
TE Kenny Yeboah (Hamstring)
Yeboah suffered a hamstring strain in the preseason, missing 11 games.
Defense
LB Zaire Barnes (Hamstring)
Barnes suffered a hamstring strain in Week 14, missing the next game before being placed on injured reserve. The lost season may have influenced the decision to go to IR, but as long as he rehabs and trains to reduce the chance to re-injure, then 2024 can be a stepping stone in his career.
S Chuck Clark (ACL Tear)
Clark missed all of last season due to a torn ACL during OTA’s in June 2023. Add in the fact that he will have had over a year to rehab and practice actual football activities, I do not expect him to have much of a drop-off in play for 2024. There is a chance that he tears the other side, but a risk that is simply part of the return-to-play process.
Free Agency
All injury info comes from Pro-Football-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.
LB Haasan Reddick
Suffered a right thumb injury in the preseason that required surgery, missing zero games. The bigger concern is whether he shows up due to his contract demands.
WR Mike Williams
Williams is coming off a left ACL tear in Week 4, missing the remainder of the season. He has also had a disc herniation, a cervical neck fracture, hamstring strains, and an AC joint sprain. I do have concerns about his durability heading into the season.
To no one’s surprise, he is starting the season on PUP.
OL Tyron Smith
Smith comes to the Jets after 13 years in Dallas but has not appeared in more than 13 games since 2019. In 2023, he dealt with ankle, knee, neck, and back injuries. In 2022, he missed the first 13 games of the season due to a hamstring avulsion fracture in his left knee during training camp. 2021 saw him miss five games due to a nagging ankle injury, and finally, 2020 saw him miss 14 games due to a neck injury that required surgery.
While he was second-team All-Pro last year despite the various injuries, the hope is that he can continue to maintain his high level of play. If Smith can stay healthy, this could pan out well for the Jets, but if he begins to deal with injuries, the dominoes could begin to fall on the offensive line which will impact the offensive production.
DL Leki Fotu
Missed five games last season due to a broken hand and an additional game due to a shoulder injury.
DL Javon Kinlaw
Kinlaw dealt with multiple knee injuries including an ACL tear and sprain from 2020 until 2022 that saw him appear in only 24 games. He was able to return to play in 2023 and appear in every game along with the three postseason games. Hopefully, the knee injuries are behind him and he can have a productive 2024 season.
OL John Simpson
No notable injury concerns.
QB Tyrod Taylor
Taylor is an excellent backup who can step in and steady the ship should Aaron Rodgers miss time. There aren’t any major concerns injury-wise heading into 2024, but the team did right in signing him as a high-end backup.
OL Morgan Moses
Has appeared in at least 14 games every season since 2015. Played through a partially torn pectoral muscle most of the season.
CB Isaiah Oliver
Torn ACL in 2021.
Draft Picks
All injury info courtesy from Dane Brugler of The Athletic
OT Ola Fashanu
A meniscus tear in 2022, and missed five games.
WR Malachi Corley
Missed one game in 2023 due to a bruised chest.
RB Braelon Allen
Missed one game due to a concussion in 2021, missed one game due to shoulder and right leg injuries in 2022, and suffered a left ankle injury in 2023, missing one game.
QB Jordan Travis
Suffered a dislocated and fractured left ankle, and will start on the NFI list while he continues to rehab.
RB Isaiah Davis
Missed eight games in 2021 due to a left shoulder injury, and missed one game in 2022 due to a shoulder injury.
CB Qwan’tez Stiggers
No notable injury concerns.
S Jaylen Key
No notable injury concerns.
Final Thoughts
The New York Jets have a lot of potential. A lot of hope. This team could put it all together and make a deep playoff run or it could crater and lead to a reset with a new front office and coaching staff.
This team has the potential to win anywhere from 7 games all the way up to 11 games. Considering they are playing a third-place schedule in the AFC East, 11 games is very reasonable. Success will rest on the shoulders of Aaron Rodgers and his ability to stay healthy. The Jets have the offensive pieces to put everything together but the hope is that they will.
Top Photo Credit: USA Today
