Jets' offensive line should have all five regular starters for Cardinals, Jeff Ulbrich says
Jets head coach Jeff Ulbrich speaks during a news conference on Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets’ battered offensive line got a reprieve Friday afternoon and Aaron Rodgers is physically on the upswing, interim coach Jeff Ulbrich said — setting up a date with the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday that could either quash their playoff hopes or spark an unlikely comeback.
Right tackle Morgan Moses (knee), right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker (ankle) and left guard John Simpson (groin) were full participants at practice Friday, meaning the Jets probably will have their full complement this weekend — a needed boost after they were forced to play rookie Olu Fashanu out of position last week.
(Jake Hanson, who was in for an inactive Vera-Tucker, went down with a hamstring injury 21 snaps into their win over the Texans, necessitating Fashanu’s move to right guard; Hanson was ruled out for this weekend.)
Moses and Vera-Tucker were officially listed as questionable on the injury report.
“It’s huge,” Ulbrich said. “All five offensive linemen, plus Aaron feeling the best he’s felt in a long time from a mobility standpoint, so excited about both those things.”
Moses’ status is especially impressive, considering he told reporters earlier in the week that he’s been playing through a Grade 2 MCL tear, meniscus damage and a small fracture.
“Morgan has been a tone-setter around here since the day I met him,” passing game coordinator Todd Downing said Thursday. “He is just one of those unique human beings that is infectious to those around him.
“You want to be around him, you want to play well for him, you want to be out there with him, so when he makes those kind of sacrifices, I think it makes everybody kind of reflect on themselves and say how can I give a little bit more and maybe where am I stopping short of all I have to give?”
Ulbrich added that Rodgers has “definitely the last couple games, he’s started to feel a little bit better . . . He was dealing with so many things in the lower extremities there, and we also know that his superpower over the years historically has been his ability to extend plays and do things after the play breaks down, so to get that mobility back is going to be huge for us.”
After snapping a five-game losing streak, the Jets (3-6) still have a 27% chance at a playoff berth, according to NFL.com — a number that drops to 17% with a Week 10 loss and climbs to 34% with a win. (ESPN Analytics has them lower, with an 18% chance at the playoffs as things stand.)
The Cardinals, though, pose a significant challenge, particularly behind running back James Conner in a comeback season.
“We did a whole tackling presentation on him, which we never do, and how to tackle this guy because he’s unique in a lot of ways,” Ulbrich said. “It’s going to be a great challenge, if you don’t stop him, you don’t stop the Cardinals.”
Shrader gets the call
The Jets will be debuting a new kicker in Spencer Shrader, who was moved up from the practice squad. He’ll be their third kicker in three weeks after a tough start from Greg Zuerlein that likely was the result of his knee injury. Shrader played one game with the Colts and made all three of his extra points earlier this year.
“Just looking for a live leg . . . that’s kicked in the NFL, and we think Spencer Shrader has a live leg,” Ulbrich said. “What it came down to was the strength of the leg, and Shrader kicked very well today, so I think he’ll get the nod on Sunday.”
Injury updates
LB C.J. Mosely (neck) is out. CB Michael Carter II (back) had a full practice but is listed as questionable. LB Chazz Surratt (heel) and DL Solomon Thomas were limited and listed as questionable.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
