C.J. Uzomah exited Sunday’s loss with a knee injury, and the Jets tight end will now miss at least the next four games. Coach Robert Saleh told reporters that Uzomah will be placed on injured reserve as he recovers from an MCL injury (via the team’s website).
Uzomah suffered the injury early in the first quarter against the Falcons. While blocking on a Breece Hall run, the tight end got his legs caught in the ensuing pile and had to exit the contest. Saleh described the injury as “extensive,” and there’s a chance Uzomah may not return to the field in 2023.
After spending the first seven seasons of his career with the Bengals, Uzomah joined the Jets prior to the 2022 campaign on a three-year, $24MM contract. Uzomah’s numbers took a step back during his first season in New York. After finishing with career-highs in 2021, the tight end hauled in only 21 catches for 232 yards and two touchdowns during his debut season with the Jets.
Uzomah saw an even lesser role on offense this season, catching just eight passes for 58 yards and one touchdown. The 30-year-old was appearing in about a third of his team’s offensive snaps while mostly serving as a blocker.
The injury shouldn’t do a whole lot to impact the team’s depth chart. Tyler Conklin still soaks up most of the snaps at the position, and Uzomah recently started ceding snaps to Jeremy Ruckert.
That’s likely the last we see of Uzomah in a Jets uniform. I imagine he’ll be cut after the season and his snaps will go mostly to Ruckert and maybe even some to Kuntz.
It could be either Kuntz or Yeboah who takes his spot.
The more I think about it, the more it is likely that Yeboah will take his spot. Yeboah was designated to return from IR on 11/16. That means he needs to be activated to the main roster by 12/7 or left on the IR for the rest of the season.