Jets safety Marcus Maye is expected to miss three-to-four weeks after suffering a broken thumb against the Colts on Sunday, according to Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News (Twitter link).
This isn’t the first time this year that Maye, the 39th overall pick in the 2017 draft, has dealt with injury. Maye underwent an ankle scope during the offseason, and then suffered an additional foot injury during in September. While he wasn’t placed on the physically unable to perform list to begin the season, Maye did miss the first three games of the 2018 campaign.
The Jets selected Maye and fellow safety Jamal Adams with their first two picks in last year’s draft, and the results have been outstanding thus far. Maye has handled “center field” for New York while Adams has played closer to the line of scrimmage, and Maye actually ranks higher than Adams in Pro Football Focus‘ safety grades (No. 10 vs. No. 12). On the season, Maye has managed 19 tackles, a half-sack, and one interception, one that miraculously featured a 104-yard return but not a touchdown.
With Maye out, the Jets will need to rely on their defensive back depth for the next few weeks as they face the Vikings, Bears, Dolphins, and Bills before hitting a bye in Week 11. While Doug Middleton is listed as Maye’s direct backup on New York’s official depth chart, Terrence Brooks was the defender who actually replaced Maye on Sunday, playing 29 snaps in the process.
oof