With Ryan Fitzpatrick now under center for the New York Jets, the team wants as much talent surrounding him as they can get. Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker are taking over the receiving game while Chris Ivory is a lock to be the starting running back. However, depth is questionable at both positions with injuries hitting the roster. Are both Devin Smith and Stevan Ridley close to returning to help New York's offense?
Smith appears closer to returning to the field following suffering broken ribs and a punctured lung. The rookie wide receiver was drafted to potentially be the No.3 threat on the field for Geno Smith. However, a training camp injury caused him to end his preseason before it really started. According to the New York Post, Smith is expected back by Week 1 of the regular season. Right now, Jeremy Kerley is occupying the third slot in the rotation, but Smith has been hyped as the better player. His return could be critical to helping Fitzpatrick while pushing Kerley further down the depth chart.
The biggest question mark is Ridley who has yet to be seen on the field as he recovers from a torn ACL suffered last season. Ridley is sitting on the PUP list and his return is questionable for the season and in general. During the Jets' first preseason game, it was Ivory and Bilal Powell that stood out in the run game. Could that mean Ridley becomes the odd man out if he cannot get healthy?
Ridley told the media that he is not trying to create false hope for Jets fans and stressed his return is unknown at the moment. If the Jets were to cut the running back, they would save upwards of $1.2 million. According to TheJetsPress.com, Ridley is not the type of running back that functions well in Chan Gailey's offense. Ivory and Powell are the more versatile options that can excel for the coordinator. With depth needed around the roster, the Jets could release Ridley to create room for someone else.
The Jets have confidence they can move past the injury to Smith and be successful. With Fitzpatrick under center, both Marshall and Decker have made it clear they believe the quarterback can win games. If Fitzpatrick plays well, he could be the permanent starter regardless of Smith's health. While many believe the locker room fight is the beginning of the end for Smith and the Jets, Marshall defended the quarterback's actions.
"He's 24. It hasn't been his team," Marshall said, via the New York Daily News. He's been in and out of the lineup the last couple years. There's been a lot of question marks. But I don't care about the past. I care about what he's done this offseason and OTAs and in camp and leading up to that day. To me, he's been a leader. He's getting better at it. It wasn't his team. He had to earn that and he still has to continue to earn that."
