Kene

Nwangwu

Davis suffered the brain injury on a kickoff at the top of the fourth quarter. He was initially listed as questionable to return. The team later ruled him out. Kene Nwangwu took his spot in the lineup. Breece Hall suffered a knee injury late in the contest as well. Nwangwu could draw the start if Davis and Hall can’t go.

Backup nickel Isaiah Oliver will presumably take over in Carter’s absence. Carter, who was a DNP all week, was unable to clear concussion protocol in time for Sunday’s Week 5 matchup and will now eye a Week 6 game against the Broncos for his targeted return date. While Carter is sidelined this weekend, Glenn said RB/KR Kene Nwangwu (hamstring) could be a game-time decision.

Johnson suffered an ankle injury in Week 2’s loss to the Bills and was a DNP all week. His absence shouldn’t come as a surprise, given his inactivity on Wednesday and Thursday. Now, the fourth-year pass rusher will hope to return in Week 4 for a Monday night matchup against the Dolphins. In addition to Johnson, the Jets also ruled out Josh Reynolds (hamstring), Kene Nwangwu (hamstring), and Jay Tufele (illness) for Week 3.

We wouldn’t be surprised if Nwangwu sat out the rest of the day with the injury. He’d been returning kicks for the Jets and wasn’t a factor in the offense.

Nwangwu had a brutal 2024 season, taking home AFC Special Teams Player of the Week in his lone active showing. At 27 years old, the speedy returner should have a fruitful special teams season, pending good health.

It’s been a bittersweet season for Nwangwu, who was only activated from the practice squad in Week 13. He promptly earned AFC Special Teams Player of the Week for Week 13, returning three kickoffs for 157 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown came via a 99-yard return and he finished with four total missed tackles forced on the day. The 26-year-old is scheduled to hit free agency at the end of the season.

Nwangwu will revert back to waivers with his failed physical designation, giving other teams a chance to claim him if they so desire. The Saints claimed the RB/KR off waivers after he was let go by the Vikings earlier in the week, in hopes that he may eventually contribute in their return game. He’ll likely catch on with another team in the coming days.

Nwangwu was waived Tuesday and finds a new home a day later. The 26-year-old fourth-rounder’s most likely contributions with the Saints will likely be on special teams as a returner, as he hasn’t shown he can be productive as a tailback yet.

Limited to 33 career touches on offense, 2021 fourth-rounder Nwangwu is a return man who still couldn’t save his roster spot despite the league’s new kickoff rules. Perhaps this is a procedural move and Nwangwu will be brought back after final cuts.

Nwangwu will miss at least the first four games with this IR designation. The Vikings’ return man was considered a candidate for IR during roster cutdowns and became all the more expendable after the team went out and claimed Myles Gaskin off waivers.