New York Jets coach Robert Saleh mentioned that it looks like pass rusher Jermaine Johnson might have torn his right Achilles tendon, with tests expected on Monday.
“It doesn’t look good,” Saleh said after the Jets’ 24-17 win against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday.
Now, the Jets need to determine if Will McDonald IV’s impressive performance, which included three sacks and a forced fumble, gives them enough confidence to continue their negotiations with Haason Reddick.
The Jets ended the game with four sacks, but Johnson had to be taken off the field in a cart late in the third quarter.
Saleh described the defensive line as the key to the Jets’ performance.
“We go as they go, and they just kept fighting,” Saleh said. “Will McDonald was amazing. And credit to that quarterback (Will Levis). He escaped from situations that seemed impossible. Again, we fought and kept pushing.”
Reddick, who has 58 career sacks over seven NFL seasons, has been holding out for a new contract with the Jets. He missed the offseason and training camp and is the only NFL player still holding out, facing about $8 million in fines and missed game checks along with lost bonuses.
The edge rusher, who will turn 30 on September 22, requested a trade on August 12, but general manager Joe Douglas refused to grant his request.
Johnson, a first-round pick in 2022 at No. 26 overall from Florida State, had 10 sacks in his first two seasons. He was looking for his first sack of the season when he went down while chasing Levis, who scrambled for a 21-yard gain.
Johnson fell without contact with 4:22 remaining in the third quarter. A cart quickly arrived as teammates gathered around him, and he was taken to the locker room.
