Nick Mangold (74) hikes the ball to New York Jets quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick (14) in the 2nd half against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium last season. The Bills defeated the Jets 22-17 Photo Credit: William Hauser-USA TODAY Sports
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets are going to have to wait until the regular season to unveil their optimal offensive lineup.
While running back Matt Forte is scheduled to make his Jets debut and center Nick Mangold is expected to return to the first unit during Saturday night’s “dress rehearsal” exhibition game against the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium, right tackle Breno Giacomini will sit out as he continues to recover from a back strain suffered during minicamp back in June.
Jets head coach Todd Bowles, speaking following Thursday’s practice, did not rule out the possibility of Giacomini returning for the regular season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 11. But Giacomini offered up a more sinister sounding timetable when he talked to reporters later in the afternoon.
“I’ll be back,” Giacomini said. “I just can’t tell you guys when.”
With Giacomini out, the battle for the starting right tackle spot will continue between Ben Ijalana and Brent Qvale, though Bowles acknowledged the Jets may look for some outside help at the position. Both Ijalana and Qvale have impressed in training camp the past few summers but have yet to translate those performances to the regular season. Qvale, who appeared in all 16 games last season, might have the slight edge on Ijalana, who hasn’t appeared in a regular season game since 2014.
As for Forte, who sat out the first two preseason games recovering from a hamstring injury suffered during his summer workouts, he will see time with the first unit on Saturday night.
“I’m trying to get him playing, because I want him to get hit before the first game and have that not be his first time,” Bowles said Wednesday.
Mangold, meanwhile, will play after sitting out the second preseason game for rest purposes. The 11th-year veteran, who is the longest tenured Jets player, sat for several practices prior to the Redskins game as well. He told ESPNNewYork.com this week he feels as good as ever thanks to the extra rest as well as compression boots that he wears at home in hopes of increasing the circulation in his legs.
“I feel great right now, too,” Mangold said. “Typically, after a few weeks, you can’t say that.”
–The third exhibition game against the Giants may also serve as the 2016 unveiling for newly locked up defensive end Muhammad Wilkerson, who has sat out the first two preseason games as he rounds into form following offseason surgery to repair the broken leg he suffered in the 2015 finale.
Bowles has not guaranteed Wilkerson will play, but the head coach also said he hopes the first-team offense and defense can play ” … at least a half” in hopes of building chemistry before the regular season. Wilkerson and other starters aren’t expected to play in the exhibition finale against the Philadelphia Eagles on Sept. 1.
NOTES: TE Jace Amaro (groin) missed practice Wednesday and Thursday and is unlikely to play against the Giants on Saturday. Sitting out the “dress rehearsal” exhibition game could doom Amaro’s chances of making the 53-man roster. Amaro, who missed all of last season with a shoulder injury, struggled with drops throughout training camp. … WR Quincy Enunwa (concussion) missed practice Wednesday and Thursday and will not play against the Giants on Saturday. Enunwa was injured against the Washington Redskins last Friday when he was accidentally kicked in the head while covering a punt. He is expected to open the season as the Jets’ no. 3 wide receiver. … OLB Jordan Jenkins (calf) missed his third straight practice Thursday and is unlikely to play against the Giants on Saturday. Head coach Todd Bowles said it was too early to know if Jenkins’ availability for the regular season opener against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 11 could be impacted. Jenkins is expected to start for the Jets if healthy.
