Two weeks after getting kneed in the back by safety Jaiquawn Jarrett, resulting in three broken ribs and a partially punctured lung, rookie wide receiver Devin Smith shared some details from his ordeal.
Sleeping hasn't been easy, as you could imagine. When he was in the hospital, Smith experienced such discomfort that he couldn't sleep on his back. He was propped up in the bed.
"It’s very frustrating for me because I’ve never been out this long," Smith said after Sunday's practice, "and this is the first time something has been broken on my body. So it’s kind of made me depressed a little bit, but just being here and seeing the guys compete and everybody has positive energy, it keeps me up."
Smith, a second-round pick from Ohio State, was working as the No. 3 receiver at the time of the injury, which happened on the second day of training camp. Since then, Quincy Enunwa has moved into the No. 3 role, raising questions about Jeremy Kerley's role and future.
Kerley signed a four-year, $14 million contract extension last fall, but he apparently isn't viewed by the new regime as a great fit.
"This is a league where anything can happen," Kerley said. "I signed a contract last year, but I've seen crazier stuff happen."
Indeed, the New York Jets specialize in crazy (see: Geno Smith versus IK Enemkpali).
It creates a fascinating battle for the reserve spots at wide receiver. Smith, initially expected to miss four to six weeks, probably will be healthy around the start of the regular season. Obviously, he will make the 53-man roster, but he figures to be inactive at the outset. Enunwa, Kerley, Shaquelle Evans, Chris Owusu, DeVier Posey, T.J. Graham, Walter Powell and Saalim Hakim are competing for probably three spots, maybe four.
