Four days after the Jets fell to 0-2 on Monday's 23-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns, New York's quick turnaround for Sunday's 1 p.m. road game against the Patriots presents the latest challenge for Adam Gase.
Before Friday's practice at The Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey, the first-year head coach issued several injury updates ahead of the weekend's preparation for New England (2-0).
Among the notables, the Jets remain without veteran linebacker C.J. Mosley, but rookie defensive tackle Quinnen Williams continues to progress as Week 3 approaches.
"Quinnen is, kind of, the closest," Gase said. "He'll go through those beginning stages and stretch, all those kinds of things, but we'll bring him back inside and just keep working him."
The 6-foot-3, 303-pound Williams missed Week 2 as he recovered from his sprained left ankle -- an injury sustained Week 1 in the Sept. 8 opener, a 17-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium.
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Along with Williams, the Jets hope to have Mosley and veteran wide receiver Demaryius Thomas back soon, but obstacles remain. Mosley suffered a strained groin in the third quarter of the Bills game, while Thomas -- whom the Patriots traded Sept. 10 -- exited early from the Browns game after a hamstring injury.
Gase was positive about Williams during Wednesday's media availability, but the No. 3 overall pick from the 2019 NFL draft in April has work to do before the Jets face the Patriots.
"I think that whole group -- Quinnen, C.J., Demaryius are kind of at different stages," Gase said. "They just haven't practiced all week, so you hardly really send them out there."
The 6-foot-2, 250-pound Mosley joined Williams on the sideline for the Browns game. The Jets, from Mosley to Gase, were hopeful about the linebacker's status throughout the past week. But when Saturday rolled around, the Jets ruled both Alabama product out.
"Probably he's just the quarterback for our defense, a guy with multi-time Pro Bowler, all that," Gase said of what the Jets miss without Mosley. "And he's the leader -- one of the leaders -- of our group. We have three good leaders in our defense. I think (linebacker) Neville (Hewitt) has done a good job moving over to that spot and doing everything he has with the knowledge he has. Anytime you get a Pro Bowl player back in the lineup, that's a good thing."
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Gase added that fourth-year linebacker Jordan Jenkins (calf), who did not participate in Wednesday's practice, was also on the handful of players set to sit out Friday. Fourth-year cornerback Brian Poole, meanwhile, exited early from Thursday's practice after an injury flared up. Poole, who signed with the Jets from the Atlanta Falcons in the offseason on a one-year deal worth $3 million, recorded a safety against the Bills and broke up two passes vs. the Browns.
"Yesterday, Brian Poole didn't finish practice with a groin," Gase said Friday. "I think he could've stayed in practice. We just thought it was best if we got him out of there, so he'll be limited today."
The Jets have been decimated by injuries early in the season. Trevor Siemian joined wide receiver Quincy Enunwa, offensive lineman Brent Qvale and linebacker Avery Williamson on Injured Reserve after the quarterback suffered a ligament-related ankle injury in the first half of the Browns game. Inexperience has taken over the depth chart, but the Jets have no other option than to push forward.
"A lot, a lot. Any game experience, especially for young players -- really, our entire time -- is good," Gase said. "That's why it's important that, whether you're winning or losing, you keep playing. Those are valuable reps -- all those reps. In the beginning of the season, those are what it has to be. Training camp's designed and the offseason, all those types of things -- you have to maximize the reps."