FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets‘ cornerback situation is so dire that Pro Bowl safety Jamal Adams is volunteering for emergency duty.
“If they need me to go to corner, I’ll go to corner,” he said Monday. “I’m dead serious.”
That is unlikely to happen, but Adams’ reaction underscores the sense of desperation. Top corner Trumaine Johnson, who underwent an MRI exam after injuring a hamstring in Sunday’s practice, is listed as week-to-week. His status for the regular-season opener against the Buffalo Bills is in jeopardy.
“That’s just going to be time,” coach Adam Gase said. “I don’t think it will be months, but, I mean, we’ll see. It’s week-to-week right now. It’ll be about how his body responds to the rehab.”
Cornerback was a concern at the start of training camp. After opting not to re-sign starter Morris Claiborne, who recently signed with the Kansas City Chiefs after receiving a four-game suspension for violating the league’s substance abuse policy, the Jets went into camp with Johnson, Darryl Roberts and Atlanta Falcons castoff Brian Poole as their top three corners.
Instead of spending big money at the position, the Jets, who had more than $100 million in cap space, decided to take the inexpensive route. And now they could be paying the price.
On Saturday, they waived Derrick Jones, a 2017 sixth-round pick. On Sunday, Johnson pulled up lame.
On Monday, undrafted rookie Kyron Brown — Johnson’s replacement — injured his hamstring and left practice. Brown was replaced by Arthur Maulet, 26, already with his third team after entering the league as an undrafted free agent in 2017.
Publicly, Gase put on a brave face, insisting he’s not ready to panic.
“I don’t look at it like that,” he said. “This is a great opportunity for a lot of guys. Somebody has to step up and make a name for themselves.”
The Jets have confidence in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams, who they believe can scheme up ways to camouflage the weakness at cornerback.
“Gregg will welcome that,” Gase said. “He loves that. He loves to scheme things up. He’ll figure it out. That’s why he’s been doing this for as long as he has.”
In other injury news, left guard Kelechi Osemele left practice with a strained pectoral muscle. The early indications are that it’s not torn, according to Gase. Defensive end Henry Anderson couldn’t finish practice because of a possible concussion.