The Jets were hoping to have their full set of starting wide receivers on the field for the first time on Sunday, but it looks like they will still be down one.
Jamison Crowder was downgraded to doubtful on Saturday afternoon, meaning he almost certainly won’t play Sunday against the Bills.
Crowder injured his groin in practice on Wednesday. He did not practice Thursday and was limited on Friday. Crowder has been the Jets’ most productive offensive player this season. He has 29 catches for 383 yards and two touchdowns in four games. He missed two games earlier in the year with a hamstring injury.
The Jets did activate rookie wide receiver Denzel Mims off injured reserve on Saturday, as expected. He will make his season debut. Wide receiver Breshad Perriman returned to the lineup last week after missing time with an ankle injury. The Jets have not had all three on the field yet this season.
They also elevated kicker Sergio Castillo from the practice squad, meaning he is expected to handle the kicking duties against the Bills. Starting kicker Sam Ficken injured his groin in practice on Wednesday.
The Jets also activated rookie OL Cameron Clark off IR and elevated LB Bryce Hager off the practice squad.
Jamison CrowderAPThe Bills placed four players on the reserve/COVID-19 list Saturday. Tight end Dawson Knox was the only one to test positive. Three other tight ends were added to the list based on close contact with Knox — Lee Smith, Tommy Sweeney (who is on the PUP list) and Nate Becker (a practice squad player).
Tight end Tyler Kroft, whose wife delivered a baby early Friday morning, was not at the meeting in which others were presumed to have been exposed to the virus, so he was not added to the list.
The Jets’ offense and defense have taken turns getting pounded this season. Last week, their special teams unit joined the party.
The Jets had three special teams penalties (one declined), fumbled a kickoff at their own goal line and gave up a long punt return.
Vyncint Smith committed a holding penalty on a punt return that moved the ball from their own 15 to the 8. Harvey Langi later committed a face mask penalty on a Jets punt that moved the ball for the Dolphins from their 20 to the 35 to start a drive. Langi was flagged for being offside later in the game, but it was declined.
“Beyond frustrating,” special teams coordinator Brant Boyer said. “I thought not only did we make bad decisions and things like that with the penalties, there’s no excuse for it. I’ll put 100 percent of that on me. I’m their coach. We got to get that stuff corrected, and not playing up to our standard at all. Needless to say, I’m not happy about it at all. That’s for sure. Something we got to get fixed.”
Smith had a really rough day. He went to field a kickoff in his own end zone, but it bounced off of him and rolled onto the field. Smith recovered, but the Jets started off at their own 9 instead of the 25. The Jets have not found a reliable return man yet. They are the worst return team in the NFL with the team’s average drive starting at their own 22.6 after kickoffs.
“Vyncint has done a good job for us in the past,” Boyer said. “I just think that it’s a matter of I will find somebody this year that can make good decisions back there and do a good job for us. If I have to keep trying other people and stuff like that, then I’m going to do it, because this is inexcusable and that falls on me as a coach. I’m obviously not happy about that at all.”



