Garrett

McIntyre

Now a key special teamer after losing his tentative starting job opposite Calvin Pace, McIntyre sustained the injury on the opening kickoff. He returned to the game in the second quarter.

Incumbent starter Bryan Thomas went down with a torn Achilles in Week 4. The Jets are hoping one of the two runs away with the job after Westerman started once in October and McIntyre started the past three games. Westerman came on in relief last week when Roy Helu began finding open space in the running game.

Gang Green declined to tender McIntyre last month as a restricted free agent, and is likely bringing him back at the minimum. The 29-year-old recorded two sacks and 19 tackles last season as a reserve edge-setting OLB and special teamer. He’ll compete to fill the same role again in 2014.

McIntyre played 271 snaps last season, recording two sacks and 19 tackles. The former undrafted free agent has 5.5 career sacks, but isn’t much a pass rusher. He won’t generate interest in the first wave of free agency.

Coples is “out indefinitely.” The Jets will keep Antwan Barnes in a sub-package role, behind starters McIntyre and Calvin Pace. “We brought Barnes in, really, to rush the passer and that would be his role,” coach Rex Ryan explained. McIntyre recorded 3.5 sacks in 16 appearances last season, making four starts. He’ll be used in a Jarret Johnson-style edge-setting run defender role.

Westerman projects to make the final 53 as a situational pass rusher behind Calvin Pace and Bryan Thomas. It looks like both he and former CFL player Garrett McIntyre are ahead of Aaron Maybin on the depth chart. Westerman has one sack in 14 career games.