On Monday, New York head coach Todd Bowles confirmed the Jets worst fears when he announced that the tests on Smith’s right knee revealed a torn ACL. Smith, whom the Jets selected out of Ohio State in the second round of May’s draft, finishes his rookie season with nine catches for 115 yards and one touchdown.
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Bowles said he isn’t sure when Smith is scheduled to undergo surgery.
Smith tore his ACL while covering a punt in the game against Tennessee, just two weeks after catching his first TD pass. It was unfortunate timing because he was just starting to see extended minutes on the field. After Dexter McCluster’s 2-yard return, Smith remained down on the turf near the Jets sideline while grabbing at his right leg. After being helped up, Smith didn’t put any weight on his right leg and then covered his head with a towel as he was carted to the locker room.
WR Devin Smith’s star-crossed rookie season is over. Smith dropped a potential touchdown pass and was the intended receiver on one of Ryan Fitzpatrick’s fourth-quarter interceptions in a 24-17 loss at Houston on November 22.
“It’s a tough break for him”, coach Todd Bowles said. Kerley was injured on a punt return in the second quarter, exited and came back after halftime before leaving again after aggravating the injury on a third-quarter punt return.
In Smith’s eighth game, though, it looked as if he was finally beginning to turn the corner.
“He was grasping everything mentally and he was playing faster”, Bowles said in Smith’s change as of late. “When you learn more and you get the mental part of it down, your game starts to play faster. He was really going to help us”.
Veteran wide receiver Jeremy Kerley has a bruised calf that twice caused him to leave the game against the Titans.
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The Jets have Kenbrell Thompkins as another receiver option, but depth is now a concern behind playmakers Brandon Marshall and Eric Decker.
