The New York Jets had to put starting safety Chuck Clark on Injured Reserve, and another starter, Tony Adams, left the Week 7 game with a hamstring injury. Backup safety Ashtyn Davis also got a concussion during their 37-15 loss on Sunday Night Football, which left the Jets short on safeties. Because of this, New York signed veteran Jalen Mills from their Practice Squad to the 53-man roster.
Both Davis and Adams were not at practice on Wednesday, according to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Mills, who used to play cornerback, started as a gameday elevation on October 20. He filled in for Clark and played 96 percent of the defensive snaps, making eight tackles and breaking up one pass. He also played against the Buffalo Bills earlier as a Practice Squad call-up in Week 6.
“I think Jalen Mills shows how good our coaching staff is, especially Marquand Manuel. They got him ready to start in just a few weeks. He played every single snap and did it well,” Ulbrich said.
Mills, known as the Green Goblin, was picked in the seventh round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles. He played all 16 games in his rookie season and started 15 games for the Super Bowl LIII champions in 2017.
He started training camp on the Non-Football Injury list and was released by the New York Giants on August 15. The Jets signed him to the Practice Squad three weeks into the regular season.
In 2023, Mills was active for all 17 games, starting eight of them, while playing for the New England Patriots.
