There’s probably a little rust on center Nick Mangold, Jets coach Todd Bowles said.
But little short of plague — or maybe an 18-wheeler — will stop Mangold from returning to the Jets on Monday against the Colts.
“I’ve been wanting to get out there since sitting in the locker room of the Baltimore game, so hopefully this is the week and keep trying to get better as the week progresses,” said Mangold, who has missed four straight games with an ankle injury.
“I feel like I could dive back in any time. But that’s why coaches are probably smarter than players. So just working to get better each day,” said Mangold, who has had two full days of practice. “It’s getting better. It’s good to be back out there. You miss playing with the guys [and] so it’s good to be out there running around, getting settled back in.”
Bowles would not commit to Mangold playing, but certainly gave no indication he wouldn’t.
“He’s taking reps. We’ve just got to see how rusty or how not rusty he is. Just working him in slowly, [to] see what he has memory-wise getting back to a play standpoint,” Bowles said.
Brandon Marshall (foot and knee) did not practice, and Bowles admitted there is concern for his availability.
“He didn’t practice this week, so obviously it’s a concern,” said Bowles, who added the wide receiver did not have a setback Friday but felt general soreness.
Other Jets who did not practice were WR Devin Smith (illness), LB Lorenzo Mauldin (ankle), safety Calvin Pryor (concussion), DT Steve McLendon (hamstring) and WR Jalin Marshall (concussion). Those who did limited practice were T Breno Giacomini (back, shoulder), CB Marcus Williams (ankle), CB Nick Marshall (ankle) and LB Bruce Carter (quadricep).
Of Pryor and Jalin Marshall, Bowles noted, “I’m not a doctor, but they’re still in [concussion] protocol.”
Bowles also said McLendon, of the bench players, was the most likely to sit out.
Defensive tackle Leonard Williams has “come along leaps and bounds” in his second season, Bowles said. The coach stressed that the mental part of the game has shown a big improvement for the 6-foot-5, 302-pounder.
“It’s a natural progression. You play as a rookie you learn, so much more,” Bowles said. “He’s gotten a lot better, but he can get so much more better. He doesn’t have a ceiling, but he doesn’t have a basement either and right now he’s steadily ascending.”
Said Williams: “It sounds great having someone like Coach Bowles … having so much belief in me. I know that I’m still a young player and I have a lot to grow. [I’m] going to critique myself hardest. I’m going to see what I did bad. I’m going to see my flaws, and I’m going to correct those. I’m not going to point out my good.”