Latest On Jets’ Kelechi Osemele

The Jets have followed through on their threat to fine guard Kelechi Osemele, as Ralph Vacchiano of SNY writes. Osemele refused to practice this week and, according to agent Andrew Kessler, it’s due to a dispute about his shoulder injury.

Osemele’s doctors told him that he needs season-ending surgery. The Jets, meanwhile, ordered him to retake the field. Osemele refused, hence the fine.

He only previously had been able to play this season by taking Toradol, given to him by the team doctor before every game,” a source close to the situation told NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport (on Twitter). “Despite taking those extremely strong pain masking narcotics, he still was in a great deal of pain while playing and is no longer able to continue doing that.”

Osemele has also been open about his level of pain and frustrations with the team.

It’s been killing me,” Osemele said Friday (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). “I’m just trying to get this done. I’ve done everything I can. I’ve been at work every day, waking up at 5 in the morning, doing all the rehab and the treatments and stuff like that. I’m like the last dude out of here at night. I’m doing everything I can. I’m working with my agent. We’re communicating with the team. There’s just not communication between the team and my doctor and my agent. It’s just been butting heads for whatever reason. Hopefully, it gets resolved soon.”

With the trade deadline just days away, it stands to reason that Osemele could be shopped to clubs in need of interior line help. Or, before the Tuesday deadline, the Jets could suspend him for conduct detrimental to the team.

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