The Jets are battling injuries heading into the Week 15 game against the Jaguars, but RB Breece Hall, who missed last week's game at Miami because of a knee injury, may return to the lineup.
"He looks good right now," interim head coach Jeff Ulrbich said. "It's promising."
Defensively, CB D.J. Reed (groin) did not practice Friday but is questionable for the game.
"It's been something that's kind of lingered here and there," Ulbrich said. "We're hopeful. He's been a guy that's been sore on a Friday and able to play on a Sunday multiple times this year, so we'll see how that goes."
Sauce Gardner (hamstring) will be back in the lineup after missing last week's game, but if Reed can't go, rookie CB Qwan'tez Stiggers could start opposite Gardner since CB Brandin Echols, who started for Gardner last week, is doubtful to play with a shoulder injury.
"If he gets an opportunity to play, I'm excited about what he can do," Ulbrich said of Stiggers. "He's a guy that's demonstrated great growth this season and he's got elite ball skills. If we have to roll with Qwan'tez Stiggers, we're excited about that opportunity for him and for us."
The Jets, however, have to shuffle more pieces on special teams than on offense or defense. Special teams ace Irv Charles was placed on injured reserve earlier this week and KR-RB Kene Nwangwu will join him he broke his hand on a kick return against the ''Fins.
Without Charles and potentially Echols, the Green & White will be without the its starting gunners on punt coverage.
"The tandem of those two were as good as it gets," Ulbrich said. "There will be some guys who will have to step up. JBC [Jarrick Bernard-Converse], Stiggers, a lot of different guys will be candidates to do it, but it's a great challenge for those guys."
The Jets will have available the starting right side of the offensive line with RG Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) and RT Morgan Moses (wrist). Moses, who sustained a wrist injury pregame against the Dolphins, started but did not finish the game. He was seen in the locker room postgame with limited mobility in his arm.
"Just named him the fifth captain for this game," Ulbrich said of Moses. "He's one of those rare human beings that could play in any era of football. I don't care if it's the 60s, 70s, 80s or 90s, he has a level of toughness that is just rare. He would play with one of his arms falling off, it doesn't matter. I think he has an authentic toughness about him that he would just do that anyway, but I also feel like he feels this real obligation to his teammates and real love for his teammates. By going out and playing every week, even when he's hurt, is the way he demonstrates that."
Beware of Brian Thomas Jr.
Perhaps overlooked in a 3-10 season for the Jaguars has been the play of rookie WR Brian Thomas Jr. Drafted No. 23 overall out of LSU, Thomas Jr. leads the team with 54 receptions, 851 yards, which leads all rookie wideouts, and 6 receiving touchdowns. His 15.8 average ranks No. 5 among wide receivers who have at least 40 receptions. That spikes to No. 2 among WRs with at least 50 catches (Jerry Jeudy, 16.0).
"This kid from Day 1, confident, makes plays," John Oesher of Jaguars.com said. "He's quiet off the field, but he's a special combination in this sense -- he's as fast as any receiver in the NFL with his size (6-2, 209) and he's also a football player. When he's out there, he does instinctive stuff. The game comes easy to him and he's still just learning. He's just scratching the surface in terms of running routes, in terms of the details that you have to have to be great."
Back to Where It Began
Jets All-Pro LB Quincy Williams' NFL career began in Jacksonville. He was drafted by the Jaguars in the third round in 2019, was cut in August 2021 and claimed by the Jets where he blossomed into an All-Pro player. The biggest difference, according to him, between the player then and now is his commitment.
"More focused about his business," he said. "Taking it more serious, not partying a lot. The real thing is being more focused, studying a lot more and being a student of the game as opposed to just being out there focusing on athletic abilities."
Even though Williams has played against his former team twice, Sunday will be the first time he'll line up in the stadium he used to call home. There's no added fuel.
"It's really another game," he said. "The focus is always going 1-0. I felt like [being cut] skyrocketed me to where I'm at right now. I don't look at it as a downfall or anything like that."
