New York Jets

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh's status for Sunday's game versus the Jacksonville Jaguars is unclear after a positive COVID-19 test. 

Per Brian Costello of the New York Post, Jets tight ends coach Ron Middleton will run Wednesday's practice in Saleh's stead. 

ESPN's Rich Cimini added that Saleh is experiencing symptoms, but he could return as soon as Thursday with a negative test. 

Per Cimini, Middleton will serve as head coach against the Jaguars if Saleh doesn't clear protocols.

The Jets are among the NFL teams with a growing list of players and coaches dealing with COVID-19 concerns. 

Per SNY's Ralph Vacchiano, Saleh is the 15th member of the Jets who is currently unavailable to the team. 

Joey Chandler of NJ.com noted the NFL reported a single-day season-high 51 positive COVID-19 cases on Monday. 

During a conference call with reporters Monday, Saleh said at least six of his players currently on the reserve/COVID-19 list have a chance to play against the Jaguars:

Foley [Folorunso Fatukasi], obviously, he's from the weekend. Tanzel Smart, JFM [John Franklin-Myers], [Sharrod] Neasman, Lamar Jackson and Vyncint [Smith]. They still have a chance to make it this week, they've got to go through the protocol with regards to asymptomatic plus two negatives and all that stuff, whatever the protocols are. But that's where we're at.

The league had to reschedule three games on the Week 15 schedule as a result of coronavirus outbreaks. 

There is no indication right now that any of the games scheduled for this weekend are at risk of being delayed. 

Saleh is in his first season as Jets head coach. He spent the previous four seasons as defensive coordinator for the San Francisco 49ers on Kyle Shanahan's staff.

The Jets enter Week 16 in last place in the AFC East with a 3-11 record. They will host the Jaguars on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.     

The New York Jets are set to place rookie wide receiver Elijah Moore on injured reserve, according to Connor Hughes of The Athletic.

Moore had not practiced all week because of a quad injury and was already questionable to play Sunday against the New Orleans Saints.

If placed on IR, Moore will miss at least the next three games and won't be eligible to return until Week 17 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

New York selected Moore in the second round with the No. 34 pick of the 2021 draft out of Ole Miss.

The rookie has been every bit as good as advertised, ranking first on the team in receptions (43), receiving yardage (538) and receiving touchdowns (five). He also has 54 yards and a touchdown on the ground.

Moore started his debut season slowly with four or fewer catches, 47 or fewer receiving yards and no receiving touchdowns in each of his first five games.

He has been among the most productive receivers in the NFL in six games since then, however, averaging 5.7 receptions, 76.5 receiving yards and 0.8 touchdowns per contest.

Making his production even more impressive is that he has done it despite a revolving door at quarterback due to injury and other factors.

Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco and Mike White have all started games under center, and Josh Johnson has seen some action as well.

Moore's injury comes at a less-than-ideal time for the Jets, as wide receiver Corey Davis was also placed on IR this week because of a core muscle injury.

With both Moore and Davis out, the Jets will have to lean heavily on Jamison Crowder, second-year man Denzel Mims, Keelan Cole and Braxton Berrios at wide receiver.

Of that group, Crowder has been the Jets' most productive receiver by far this season with 42 grabs for 372 yards and two touchdowns in nine games.

New York is likely to take a cautious approach with Moore the rest of the way, as it is essentially out of playoff contention with a 3-9 record.

New York Jets wide receiver Corey Davis will undergo season-ending surgery for a core muscle injury.

Head coach Robert Saleh confirmed Davis' diagnosis and told reporters the 26-year-old will "be better than ever" when he returns in 2022:

Davis finishes the year with 34 receptions for 492 yards and four touchdowns.

Ahead of Sunday's 33-18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, he was listed as questionable because of a groin injury. The 2017 first-round pick played in the game but exited with an ankle injury.

Davis enjoyed his best-ever season in 2020, logging 65 catches, 984 receiving yards and five touchdowns.

Looking to beef up their passing game, the Jets handed him three-year, $37.5 million contract that included $27 million guaranteed.

While he's the second-leading receiver on the team behind Elijah Moore, his addition hasn't elevated New York's passing game too much. The team ranks 12th in passing yards (242.3) but 27th in completion percentage (61.7) and 29th in quarterback rating (76.3).

At 3-9, any chance the Jets had of qualifying for the playoffs is likely out the window. Closing out the regular season strong would at least allow Saleh to end his first year on a high note.

To that end, New York will need one or both of Jamison Crowder and Keelan Cole to fill the void left by Davis' injury. Crowder in particular needs to raise his game to another level as his 41.3 receiving yards per game are on pace to be the second-lowest of his career.

New York Jets coach Robert Saleh defended the team's decision to trade a sixth-round pick for Joe Flacco, calling it a "no risk" deal.

“When someone offers a sixth-round pick for a player of Joe’s caliber, there is no risk,” Saleh told reporters.

The Jets sent a conditional sixth-round pick to the Philadelphia Eagles last month after Zach Wilson went down with a knee injury. The move seemed odd at the time, as the Jets were 1-5 with no hope of making the playoffs when Wilson went down. Mike White had done a fine enough job in relief, and journeyman Josh Johnson was on the roster as a potential backup.

Flacco, languishing third on the Eagles' depth chart, was seemingly content holding a clipboard in what appeared likely to be his final NFL stop.

The Jets instead gave the 36-year-old what may be his last NFL start in Week 11, with Flacco throwing for 292 yards and two touchdowns in a 24-17 loss to the Miami Dolphins. It was a fine overall performance, but Flacco is not a quality NFL quarterback at this point in his career, and the risk of acquiring him became even more evident when he revealed he is not vaccinated for COVID-19.

The Jets saw their worst-case scenario play out this week with Flacco being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list with a close contact. 

White has also been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list, leaving Johnson as the primary backup to a returning Wilson. 

The New York Jets reportedly received some good news on Tuesday.

According to The Athletic's Connor J. Hughes, rookie quarterback Zach Wilson is set to return from his four-game absence on Sunday as the Jets take on the Houston Texans. ESPN's Rich Cimini confirmed the report.

Wilson was recovering from a knee injury he suffered in Week 7 against the New England Patriots.

Wilson's return comes at a crucial time for the Jets. ESPN's Field Yates reported Tuesday that the team placed quarterbacks Joe Flacco and Mike White on the reserve/COVID-19 list. White started three games in Wilson's absence, throwing four touchdowns and six interceptions in those contests. Flacco started Sunday's loss to the Miami Dolphins and threw for 291 yards and two scores.

Prior to his injury, Wilson struggled through some rookie woes. The BYU product completed just 57.5 percent of his passes for 1,168 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions. He was also sacked 19 times in six games.

The second overall pick in the 2021 draft, Wilson has been inconsistent but has shown brief flashes of the talent that attracted the Jets to him. His best performance came in a 27-24 overtime win over the Tennessee Titans as he threw for 297 yards with two touchdowns and an interception.

New York is last in AFC East with a 2-8 record and has dealt with injuries to multiple key players. Head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Monday that promising rookie running back Michael Carter is expected to miss two to four weeks after suffering a sprained ankle against the Dolphins.

Defensive end Carl Lawson has missed the entire season after suffering a torn Achilles in training camp. The Jets have been without left tackle Mekhi Becton, the team's first-round pick in 2020, since he dislocated his kneecap in the season opener.

The Jets will be looking to end a three-game losing streak this Sunday when they visit the Texans, who are also 2-8.