Two more subtractions from Jets' offensive line as Connor McGovern, Wes Schweitzer land on IR
Jets center Connor McGovern lies on the field with an injury during the first half of an NFL game against the Giants on Sunday at MetLife Stadium. Credit: AP/Frank Franklin II
The already banged-up Jets offensive line took two huge hits Sunday, leaving the team scrambling to add reinforcements.
Center Connor McGovern suffered a knee injury in the Jets’ 13-10 overtime win over the Giants and will be placed on injured reserve, knocking him out for at least four games. Interior offensive lineman Wes Schweitzer also will go on IR with a calf injury. Schweitzer started at right guard Sunday, moved to center when McGovern got hurt and left the game two series later.
“It’s really tough because everything starts up front,” coach Robert Saleh said during a Monday Zoom call. “We feel good about the five guys we have every time we step on the field. It’s just a matter of them getting an opportunity to work together and finding that cohesion that we’re looking for.”
Wes Schweitzer #71 of the New York Jets is helped off the field against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium on Sunday, Oct. 29, 2023 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Credit: Jim McIsaac
The Jets (4-3) have been unable to find that chemistry because of injury.
They already have started four different offensive line combinations, with a fifth one coming Monday night against the Chargers. It also will be the fourth different lineup in four games.
“You just pray to God every morning that you get a little continuity and can string together a couple of weeks and find a way to get better,” Saleh said.
McGovern reportedly suffered a dislocated kneecap. Saleh said it appears he will avoid surgery and might be able to return later in the season after rehab.
He is the third player from the Week 1 starting line to go on IR. Alijah Vera-Tucker (torn Achilles tendon) is out for the season and Duane Brown is still recovering from a hip injury. Only tackle Mekhi Becton and left guard Laken Tomlinson have started every game.
Becton, Tomlinson, right tackle Max Mitchell, guard/ tackle Billy Turner and rookie tackle Carter Warren are the only healthy offensive linemen on the active roster. The Jets have Xavier Newman, Dennis Kelly and Jason Poe on the practice squad.
The Jets hope rookie Joe Tippmann (quadriceps injury) can return this week. Saleh said having an extra day may help. The Jets also have to see if Brown can resume practicing.
The trade deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday, but Saleh doesn’t believe the Jets will be able to acquire an offensive lineman. He said they will work out free agents and see if anyone is worth adding. Tackle La’el Collins and center Ben Jones are available.
“You’d like reinforcements, but no one is trading offensive linemen,” Saleh said. “They’re so scarce throughout the league. There’s been so many injuries with regards to O-line.
“There’s some really, really good players that we can get in here for a workout. We’ve got a couple of days to try to figure it and get some people in here and see if we can add some depth to the offensive line.”
When Tippmann returns, he will play center. The Jets drafted him to eventually replace McGovern, who is on a one-year deal. Tippmann has started four games at right guard after the Jets moved Vera-Tucker to right tackle in Week 3. That’s when Brown went on IR and Becton slid from right to left tackle.
If Tippmann misses another game, Newman will play center. He was an emergency fill-in Sunday and played center for the first time.
The Jets signed Newman to the practice squad on Oct. 5. They elevated him for Sunday’s game because they needed three players who could snap the ball. It’s good they did; the other two got hurt.
“You always want to have three centers,” Saleh said. “Rule of thumb: You never want two injuries to take you out of a personnel grouping. If he wasn’t up, I don’t know how you play football at that point.”
Linebacker C.J. Mosley credited Newman with “saving the day for our offense.”
Newman played a big role in the win.
He sprinted down the field to get the ball from receiver Allen Lazard after a 29-yard pass reception, got lined up and snapped it to Zach Wilson, who spiked it with one second left. That made Greg Zuerlein’s tying field goal possible.
“Beyond proud of ‘X’ and his ability to be resilient in the time we needed it,” Lazard said. “Him hustling down on the last play to get the snap off
and taking the ball from me, knowing the snap count of what we were going to do it on and everything, really proud of him.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
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