The New York Jets‘ disappointing season continues to go in the wrong direction.
Running back Breece Hall and cornerback Sauce Gardner are not expected to play Sunday, and five-time Pro Bowl linebacker C.J. Mosley is done for the season after being placed on injured reserve Friday. For Mosley, 32, who has a herniated disk in his neck, it likely signals the end of his Jets career.
The Jets (3-9) are preparing to face the Miami Dolphins (5-7) at Hard Rock Stadium without Hall (knee) and Gardner (hamstring), two of their best players. Both are listed as doubtful for the game. If the Jets lose, they will be eliminated from contention, extending their playoff drought to 14 seasons — the NFL’s longest active streak.
“Barring something magical happening the next couple of days, they’re doubtful,” interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said.
Gardner pulled a hamstring last week. In the same game, Hall aggravated a knee injury that occurred two weeks ago. He has a hyperextension and an MCL issue in his surgically repaired left knee, the same knee that sustained a torn ACL in 2022.
Rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis will be used to replace Hall, along with Kene Nwangwu, who scored on a 99-yard kickoff return last week in his Jets debut. Brandin Echols is expected to start for Gardner against Miami’s speedy receiving corps.
The Mosley decision wasn’t a surprise, but it hit hard because of what he means to the team. He’s a captain and regarded by teammates as the heart and soul of the defense.
Ulbrich called it “a hard decision by a very prideful, amazing player and leader — [he’s] all those things for us. It was not an easy decision for him, but it’s the best decision for him and our organization.”
The injury happened Oct. 27 before a road game against the New England Patriots. Mosley said he felt “a burn” down the back of his neck during the warmups, causing it to “lock up.” He sat out the game. Told that he didn’t require surgery, Mosley tried to make a comeback even though the Jets’ season was lost.
Mosley said he was progressing well but suffered a minor setback on Thanksgiving, when he collided with Allen during a short-yardage play in practice. Undaunted, he tried again this week, practicing fully on Wednesday with the hope of playing against the Dolphins. There was an apparent setback, as he missed practice on Thursday.
The injury clouds his football future.
Mosley is under contract for 2025, but his cap charge is a hefty $12.8 million, which includes $4.25 million in guaranteed money. He has played only four games this season and lost his starting job to Jamien Sherwood during a four-game absence due to a toe injury. With a new regime coming in, Mosley is a likely cap casualty.
To replace him on the roster, the Jets plan to activate wide receiver Allen Lazard from IR.