Brian

Winters

Winters was announced as questionable, but The Athletic’s Joe Buscaglia believes his day is through. It’s not exactly ideal since LG Cody Ford is also down with an ankle injury. Ryan Bates will finish the game in Winters’ place ... is what we had typed before Winters returned late in the second quarter. Move along.

It was a quick turnaround for Winters as he was just released by the Jets on Sunday. The 29-year-old was limited to nine games with a shoulder injury last year but fills an immediate hole following the loss of RG Jon Feliciano (torn pectoral). Winters himself has landed on injured reserve on four separate occasions over the course of his seven-year career but remains a suitable replacement in the interim.

Winters suffered a dislocated shoulder that ended his season after nine games last year. He started in all nine in 2019 and 16 in 2018. The veteran guard started a total of 79 games for Gang Green in seven years of service. Winters isn’t expected to be a free agent for long. He could compete for a starting job on any team thin at interior offensive line. Greg Van Roten, who the Jets added this offseason, is the likely starter in place of Winters. The move saves New York $7.2 million in cap space.

The GM meetings were supposed to be this past week, and Douglas instead held a conference call. Douglas made plenty of moves on the offensive line in free agency despite missing on RT Jack Conklin. Gang Green went for a quantity approach, adding OT George Fant, OG Greg Van Roten, and C Connor McGovern, while also keeping incumbent LG Alex Lewis with a new deal. All have versatility. If we were to guess today, the Jets would field LT Fant, LG Lewis, C McGovern, RG Van Roten, and RT Chuma Edoga. But Lewis could kick out to right tackle, Van Roten to left guard, and Winters keep his job at right guard. He’s owed a non-guaranteed $7.2 million in 2020.

Winters is owed a non-guaranteed $7.2 million in the final year of his deal. The Jets want him back, but at a reduced salary after a shoulder injury limited him to nine games last season. With all the turnover on the Jets’ offensive line, Winters may be the only starter that returns in 2020.

Winters couldn’t stop dislocating his shoulder, leaving the drain-circling Jets with little choice but to end his season. He will likely need surgery. In the midst of his age-28 campaign, Winters has been starting for Gang Green since 2013. Never particularly effective, Winters is due $7.5 million between salary and bonuses next year. He could end up a cap casualty. Tom Compton will man the pivot as the Jets play out the string.

Winters reportedly dislocated his shoulder for the second time this year. It’s a re-aggravation of the same ailment that sidelined him following the team’s preseason opener. Tom Compton, who totaled three snaps heading into Week 10, took over for Winters against the Giants and is expected to replace the latter for the rest of the season. With only one year left on his four-year contract, it’s possible the Jets simply move on this offseason.

This isn’t a surprise after Winters went down in the preseason opener. Winters will likely be held out of this week’s dress rehearsal, but his injury isn’t too serious. He should be ready for Week 1.

Winters’ injury isn’t thought to be serious, though beat reporter Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News confirms the Jets will take a “cautious approach” with the veteran. The 28-year-old reportedly won’t need surgery and should be back in time for New York’s Week 1 matchup with Buffalo.

Winters (6-foot-4, 320) started 50 games at Kent State, 34 at left tackle and 16 at right tackle. Winters is a brawling phone booth blocker with an edge to him, and he’s currently penciled in as the Jets’ starting right guard.