Jordan

Jenkins

Jenkins tore his ACL in Saturday’s preseason date just mere days after signing with the Raiders. The 28-year-old spent last season with the Texans after five with the Jets. He has 25 career sacks and will now prepare for 2023.

Jenkins missed the final four games last year on IR with a torn labrum. He had surgery in December and seems likely to skip OTAs. The Texans were comfortable enough with Jenkins’ shoulder to give him a two-year, $6 million contract this offseason. Barring setbacks, he should be ready for Week 1.

Jenkins is coming off a down 2020 with the Jets, setting a career low with two sacks while missing four games to a shoulder injury. He had surgery in December to repair a torn labrum. When healthy, Jenkins adds a proven pass rusher to a defense that lost J.J. Watt this offseason. Jenkins should start opposite Whitney Mercilus, with Shaq Lawson rotating in sub-packages.

Jenkins initially suffered the injury back in Week 3 but had been playing through it. The Jets recently shut him down for good, and he should be mostly healthy in time for free agency in March.

Jenkins will be shut down after missing last week. He finishes with 32 tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble while playing 57% of defensive snaps. A free agent this offseason, Jenkins is unlikely to be back with the Jets.

Jenkins, 26 in July, registered a career-best eight sacks last season after recording seven the previous year. It’s a bit surprising he wasn’t able to get more on the open market at such a key position, but Jenkins heads back to Gang Green and will try to have a second-straight productive contract season.

The Jets can get all the help they can with C.J. Mosley “not expected to play”. Jenkins played on 60% of the season-opener snaps and should slide back into that role right away.

Jenkins exited early in the first quarter. A starting edge rusher for the Jets, Jenkins had one sack in the season opener against the Bills, playing 40-of-66 snaps. Gang Green is not deep at that spot on defense.

Lorenzo Mauldin is guaranteed one of the starting spots, but the other is up for grabs. Cimini said the team is casting a net as wide as the “Lincoln Tunnel.” Obviously OTAs have brought little clarity to the situation. Deion Barnes, Freddie Bishop, Jordan Jenkins and Josh Martin are all competing for a role.

“They’ve all got their pluses and minuses,” Bowles said. “We’re waiting for people to separate.” Sophomore Lorenzo Mauldin is almost guaranteed a starting job, but the spot opposite him is up for grabs. Third-round rookie Jordan Jenkins started the first preseason game and is the clear favorite, but it sounds like Freddie Bishop and Josh Martin have a chance to unseat him.