Todd Bowles insists he is comfortable with journeyman Julian Stanford starting at inside linebacker next to David Harris. He had better be because there probably isn’t a better option.
With inside linebacker Darron Lee (ankle) and Bruce Carter (quad) both ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Browns, the former Wagner College star from Bloomfield, Conn., is expected to get the first start of his Jets career in Cleveland.
“It’s definitely a great opportunity for me,” the undrafted Stanford said Thursday after practice. “I feel like I’m at home. It’s a great situation for me. … When I saw Bruce go down, I knew it was my time. I had to show up.”
The Jets are the 26-year-old linebacker’s fourth NFL team after stints with the Jaguars, Lions and Buccaneers. He joined the Jets in December as a member of the practice squad. He made the opening-day roster before briefly being sent to the practice squad Sept. 26. He impressed his coaches in the Jets’ 24-16 Week 7 win over the Ravens, making seven tackles, six of them solo.
“I just kept working, stuck with it,” Stanford said. “I said when opportunity knocks, I’m going to be ready to go.”
In addition to Carter and Lee being ruled out for the Browns game, right tackle Brent Qvale (neck) also will not play, according to Bowles. Center Nick Mangold (ankle), tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins (high ankle sprain), running back Matt Forte (knee), left tackle Ryan Clady (shoulder), cornerback Buster Skrine (knee), defensive end Sheldon Richardson (personal matter) and safety Antonio Allen (Achilles) did not practice. Bowles is holding out hope for Mangold, who still is unable to run.
“It doesn’t look good right now,” the Jets coach said.
Forte was kept out of practice as a precaution because the Jets were practicing inside on turf due to the rain. Bowles also is optimistic Clady will play, saying the offensive tackle’s shoulder is sore, but he hasn’t re-injured it. Seferian-Jenkins seems likely to miss his third straight game.
There was some positive injury news as wide receiver Brandon Marshall (foot), defensive lineman Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle), tight end Kellen Davis (hip) and running back Bilal Powell (turf toe) practiced on a limited basis.
Wilkerson said the left ankle tendon that is bothering him is related to surgery he had last January to repair a fractured right fibula, but he doesn’t feel he rushed back. Wilkerson said it was getting better, but he was unsure if the ankle is progressing to the point he will play against the Browns.
Wilkerson declined to say if the ankle is the reason his play has tailed off this year, though he said he believes teams are game-planning against him. He has just 1.5 sacks — and none since the opening weekend — to go along with 21 tackles.
“It’s a long season and it’s not just myself out there,” Wilkerson said. “It’s not a one-man show. It’s a team sport.”
The backup quarterback for Sunday’s game remains a question mark. Bowles has yet to decide if he will go with Bryce Petty or rookie Christian Hackenberg. They received a similar number of reps Thursday, the coach said.