Already thin at cornerback, the Jets suffered another blow within the position group Sunday.

Cornerback Trumaine Johnson injured his hamstring, head coach Adam Gase told reporters following practice, after intercepting quarterback Sam Darnold and running it back.

Johnson, who battled a quad injury in 2018 on the way to 10 appearances, 40 tackles, and four interceptions, is out indefinitely.

"Anytime a guy who makes a living running has a hamstring ... we've just kind of have to see how it goes," Gase said of Johnson. "He's going to have to get a lot of treatment and strengthen it up, and we'll get him back as fast as possible."

An eighth-year veteran approaching his second season in New York after spending 2012-17 with the St. Louis/Los Angeles Rams, Johnson's absence leaves the Jets without much experience at cornerback.

Outside of Johnson, the unit features a pair of fourth-year talents in Darryl Roberts and Brian Poole with rookie Kyron Brown, an undrafted free agent from Akron.

Roberts is the Jets' only corner with starting experience after making 11 in 43 games, while Poole made 47 appearances as an Atlanta Falcon.

"We'll just keep rotating guys in there and we've just got to keep competing, man," Gase said. "That's what we have to do. We need some guys -- some young guys, they're going to have to step up and do well."

With Poole in the slot, Roberts has been the Jets' other starting corner opposite of Johnson. Should Johnson miss extended time, Brown becomes the next man up for Gase and defensive coordinator Gregg Williams.

"The good thing is, with an experienced defensive coordinator we have like Gregg -- Gregg knows how to get guys into a rhythm, find out what they do well, adapt his scheme to our personnel," Gase said. "Right now, being in the preseason, we're going to challenge our guys. We're going to play a lot of man. We're going to do a lot of things where it's hard. In 1-on-1 (coverage), you have to see where you're at with those guys."

Popular in the Community