Report: New York Jets expected to be missing key player vs. Miami Dolphins

The New York Jets are expected to be missing a key player for their Black Friday game against the Miami Dolphins.

Jets offensive tackle Mekhi Becton suffered an ankle sprain against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, and he is expected to miss some action as a result, according to ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler.

Unfortunately, injury issues are nothing new for Becton, as he has appeared in just 25 total games for the Jets since the team drafted him in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.

Becton did play in 14 games during his rookie campaign, but he’s suited up for only 11 games since. He played in one game during the 2021 season due to a knee injury, and he missed the entirety of the 2022 season after he suffered another knee injury during training camp. He has started in all 10 of New York’s games so far this season, but it seems like that streak will come to an end.

The injury comes at a tough time for the Jets, as their offensive line is already extremely depleted. New York currently has three other offensive linemen on injured reserve: Alijah Vera-Tucker (Achilles), Connor McGovern (knee) and Wes Schweitzer (calf). This would be a tough situation for any team, but it’s potentially even rougher for the Jets, who plan to start a new quarterback against the Dolphins.

Zach Wilson has started in every game for the Jets since Aaron Rodgers was injured during the first game of the season, but the team plans to use Tim Boyle as its starting quarterback against Miami. Trevor Siemian will serve as Boyle’s backup, while Wilson has been demoted to third string.

Boyle was already going to have his hands full stepping into the starting spot, and his job will likely only be made tougher by Becton’s absence. The Jets have lost three straight games heading into the matchup with Miami, and they currently sit at 4-6 on the season.

The Dolphins, on the other hand, sit atop the AFC East with a 7-3 record and an extremely potent offense. They currently lead the league in yards per game and points per game.

The contest between the Jets and Dolphins will take place at MetLife Stadium and is set to kick off Friday at 3 p.m. It’s the first of two meetings between the teams this season.