Cornerback Brandon Stephens will play for the Jets on Sunday.
Stephens was added to the team’s injury report on Friday after being limited in practice with a neck injury. Stephens, who has started all five games, avoided the inactive list and will play in London against the Broncos.
The Jets ruled cornerback Michael Carter (concussion) and wide receiver Allen Lazard (personal) out on Friday. Neither player made the trip to London.
Defensive end Tyler Baron, running back Khalil Herbert, defensive tackle Leonard Taylor, tight end Jelani Woods, and tackle Esa Pole are inactive.
The Broncos’ only questionable player was defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who was on injured reserve with a calf injury. Roach was activated on Saturday and is in the lineup on Sunday.
Running back Tyler Badie, linebacker Jonah Elliss, tackle Frank Crum, defensive lineman Jordan Jackson, defensive lineman Sai’Vion Jones, and quarterback Sam Ehlinger will not play for Denver.
The Chargers have gone from sitting pretty at 3-0 to slipping and falling to 3-2. And they’ve lost their top two running backs — Najee Harris (Achilles) for the year and Omarion Hampton (ankle) for at least four games.
As a result, the Chargers are in the market for help at the position.
Via Ian Rapoport of NFL Media, the Chargers have been calling teams in search of available running backs. They’re looking for whatever they can get — depth or a starter.
For now, Hassan Haskins and Kimani Vidal will carry the load.
The most obvious candidates would be veteran Saints running back Alvin Kamara and fourth-year Jets tailback Breece Hall.
Then there’s Derrick Henry. If the Ravens, who have a pipeline to the Chargers via the presence of former Baltimore exec Joe Hortiz as G.M. and the Harbaugh connection at coach, are ready to fold the tents on 2025, the Ravens could choose get value for Henry and pivot to Justice Hill and Keaton Mitchell.
It’s hard to imagine the Ravens shifting into fire-sale mode. But a loss on Sunday to the Rams would drop Baltimore to 1-5. The Ravens are off in Week 7, before facing the Bears and Dolphins. If things don’t turn around, they’ll need to consider all options.
Of course, the Chargers have a more immediate need. They may not want to wait another three weeks to see whether the Ravens would be willing to move Henry. But whether it’s the Chargers or some other contender, it makes sense to keep a potential Henry trade on the radar screen, unless and until the Ravens shows signs of reversing their current trend of losing.
The Jets are the first NFL team since turnovers were first tracked in 1933 to start the season by going five games without forcing one.
Hooray?
Another turnover-free game on Sunday morning against the Broncos in London would match the 2018 49ers as the only team to ever go six games in a row without making a turnover happen.
With the goal of getting a turnover, and even more importantly a win, the Jets’ defense held a players-only meeting before they boarded a plane for England.
Via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com, Jets defensive end Jermaine Johnson revealed that the get-together happened during a Friday media session.
“Everybody was on the same page,” Johnson said, per Cimini. “We have to be better. We can’t be the reason we lose. That can’t happen. We have too much talent.
“Coach [Aaron Glenn] has had our back as far as how he runs this thing, instilling a certain culture in here. We have to have his back by putting a good product out there. That’s our job. We definitely take full accountability.”
Johnson is expected to return to the lineup on Sunday after missing three games with an ankle injury.
Earlier in the week, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams put the blame for the team’s winless start squarely on the defense.
“We’re 0-5 and the defense has been the problem, the reason why we’re 0-5,” Williams said, per Cimini, adding that the Jets have “probably the worst defense in the league.”
No one is pointing fingers, just thumbs. Including defensive coordinator Steve Wilks.
“Everything is on me,” Wilks said this week, via Cimini.
During last week’s loss to the Cowboys, with a 37-22 outcome that looked far more respectable than the lopsided 30-3 margin late in the third quarter, a vibe began to emerge that Glenn could be one-and-done with the Jets. While that’s not likely the case, a win would help. Especially in London, where owner Woody Johnson served as the U.S. ambassador in the first Trump administration.
Last year, a loss to the Vikings in London sparked the firing of coach Robert Saleh. This year, it would drop the Jets to 0-6.
The good news is that a pair of objectively winnable games are looming, at home against the Panthers and at Cincinnati. A win in either or both becomes critical to avoid entering the bye at 0-8.
Jets head coach Aaron Glenn broke down most of the team’s injury report during a Friday press conference, but there was one late addition to the list.
Cornerback Brandon Stephens was added to the report with a neck injury. He was limited in practice on Friday and is listed as questionable to face the Broncos on Sunday.
Stephens has started all five games for the Jets, but has not fared well in pass coverage for most of those appearances.
Linebacker Ja’Markis Winston (groin) is also listed as questionable. Cornerback Michael Carter (concussion) and wide receiver Allen Lazard (personal) have been ruled out.
The Broncos have handed in their final injury report for Sunday’s game against the Jets in London.
Defensive tackle Malcolm Roach is the only player who drew a questionable tag. Roach has not played yet this season due to a calf injury and practiced fully the last two days of the week.
Roach will need to be added to the active roster by Saturday afternoon in order to play on Sunday. He had 43 tackles, 2.5 sacks, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery for the team in 2024.
The Broncos ruled guard Ben Powers (biceps) and linebacker Jonah Elliss (ribs, shoulder) out for this weekend. Defensive tackle D.J. Jones (shoulder), linebacker Alex Singleton (thumb), and edge rusher Nik Bonitto (wrist) are off of the injury report.
