FLORHAM PARK — Garrett Wilson turned heads Tuesday evening on the Bart and Hahn show when he explained his New York Jets teammates had a players-only meeting to discuss their recent slide.
Turns out, players-only meetings aren’t always a negative thing in the NFL.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh called players-only meetings “not uncommon” in the NFL and something that the locker room should always be striving for as they look to end their decade-long playoff drought.
“I think they should always be communicating,” Saleh said Wednesday. “The best-coached teams are the teams that coach themselves. Obviously, coaches are always sending a message but when you’re able to look at one another and hold each other accountable it becomes more powerful.”
While most fans and analysts would take a players-only meeting as an example of a panicked team trying to find answers to a potentially lost season, Saleh’s comment shows that might not be the case.
“It’s not uncommon for players to sit down and have a conversation,” Saleh added. “Whether they do it in a team form and want to announce it to the world…they should always be communicating.”
Wilson was one of the first players to openly suggest a meeting within the locker room following New York’s 16-12 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders last Sunday night. At 4-5 and with an 11-quarter touchdown drought, Gang Green’s offense has been searching for answers to try and save their season.
“The guys talked, and we had the floor, it was just us,” Wilson said on Bart and Hahn on 98.7 ESPN New York. “We got to make sure we’re all on the same page about where we’re at and how the hell we get out of this funk, man. When it comes from one of your teammates, it always hits different. It always resonates a little bit more.”
It remains to be seen how much of an impact the meeting had with the rest of the roster, but all signs point to New York still being a connected unit and focusing on the task at hand on Sunday in Buffalo.
Michael Carter’s release and offensive changes
Accountability has come for the Jets offense – even if it hasn’t hit the quarterback or play-caller yet. New York shocked many within the organization with the release of running back Michael Carter.
Carter was a locker-room favorite and was the Jets’ leading rusher for the 2021 team in his rookie year. A dwindling lack of chances, the emergence of fifth-round rookie Israel Abanikanda, and recent poor play made the Jets decide to give their former fourth-round pick a chance to find new opportunities elsewhere.
“We love Michael. I think everyone recognizes how great of a teammate he is,” Saleh explained of the release of Carter. “It came down to giving Izzy an opportunity and we felt it wouldn’t be fair for Michael to sit and rot on the bench and be a good teammate. He’s been so good to us, to allow him to go play for a team to allow him to tote the rock.”
Carter’s release is not the only change to the offense as confirmed by Saleh on Wednesday.
While the coach did not unveil the different “personnel” changes that the offense was going through, he did say that tight end Jeremy Ruckert will be getting more snaps after strong play – leaving the potential room for CJ Uzomah to have a decrease in time on the field.
“We’ve got three really good tight ends,” Saleh stated. “Jeremy has played well and deserves to play more…(he) deserves to get more action and that’s something we’re looking at this week.”
Uzomah has struggled mightily this season but none more so than Sunday night in Las Vegas. The 30-year-old tight end was called for two holding penalties that resulted in a touchdown called back and negated a strong reverse play early in the contest. He had more penalties called on him Sunday (two) than he had catches (one).
A decrease in snaps for CJ Uzomah, and an increase for Abanikanda and Ruckert are a sign that New York is making fundamental changes to their offensive plan. It doesn’t look like more will be announced until the Jets kick off their Week 11 slate against Buffalo on Sunday.
Injury Update
New York is getting healthier on the offensive line – even though it may not look it. While Billy Turner was confirmed to not practice in Wednesday’s walk-through with a broken hand, the team did open up the 21-day practice window for tight end Kenny Yeboah.
While Saleh did not say when exactly tackle Duane Brown would be made active this week, he did recognize that the team had until next week to play him or lose him for the remainder of the year due to the NFL’s policy on players returning from IR.
“Not sure. We have until Thanksgiving to make a decision on him. For him, it’s just communicating and seeing where he’s at.”
If Brown were to return to the field this week in Buffalo, the expectation would be that he would take over at left tackle while moving Mekhi Becton to the right side, and Max Mitchell to guard.
There are no other current injuries to report at this time.
A potential return for Aaron Rodgers?
At 4-5, all eyes on the Jets are focusing on the debate between when and if Aaron Rodgers will return for the 2023 season. If New York is alive, Rodgers fully intends to play for the remainder of the year once he is cleared. If they aren’t, the likelihood is that the Jets won’t see their franchise quarterback on the field until 2024.
In the mind of the head coach, it all comes down to whether Aaron is ready and able or not in his mind.
“Aaron’s a grown man,” Saleh said. “No one is going to know Aaron’s body like Aaron knows his body. If he feels after the doctors clear him, if Aaron says he wants to play, he’s going to play.”
Saleh won’t predict when exactly Rodgers will be back on the field but is more than happy to expect him back to the facility. The four-time NFL MVP stated on the Pat McAfee show Tuesday that he expects to be returning full-time to the organization following Thanksgiving.
