Joining the stars of the defense – “The Captain,” MLB CJ Mosley, All-Pro LB Quincy Williams, Pro Bowlers from all three classes in Quinnen Williams, Jermaine Johnson and Sauce Gardner – are big and fast DL Javon Kinlaw, returning edge men Micheal Clemons and Will McDonald, CB DJ Reed, S Tony Adams and S Chuck Clark, who is back after a season of injury rehab.
But not all players on the roster will be active. The Jets have listed seven players who are inactive for the first game of this promising season tonight:
- RB Izzy Abanikanda
- CB Jarrick Bernard-Converse
- DL Eric Watts
- T Max Mitchell
- T Carter Warren
- TE Brenden Bates
- DL Leonard Taylor
With backup tackles Warren and Mitchell both unavailable, Olu Fashanu, the Jets’ rookie first-round tackle, is the only replacement for Smith and Moses.
Two injured backup candidates, OL Wes Schweitzer and LB Zaire Barnes, would have been inactive options had the Jets not placed both of them on the injured list at short notice over the past three days.
Other Jets suddenly becoming active for this game after the team made a series of transactions include OL Jake Hanson and LB Samuel Eguavoen, who were signed to the active roster today, and TE Anthony Firkser and DL Jalyn Holmes, who were both activated from the practice squad for this game.
