The New York Jets roster is short on playmakers, so Santonio Holmes is expected to play Sunday's Week 1 regular-season opener against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers despite not being 100% healthy.
According to ESPN, Holmes, who has missed the entire preseason and hasn't played a game in 11 months since the Jets suffered a Week 4 shutout at the hands of the San Francisco 49ers due to surgery to repair a severe Lisfranc injury in his left foot, has been working his way back slowly from the injury but head coach Rex Ryan said he's expected to play in a limited role Sunday.
Holmes was hurt in Week 4, when he caught a pass from Mark Sanchez and fell to the ground, fumbling the football.
A video of the injury can be seen here.
Holmes didn't practice Thursday, but Ryan expects him to be ready, though the fifth-year coach said he won't rush him back against doctors' orders.
"We'll make sure we have the absolute clearance from our doctors and our trainers before we do that, but as I've said all along, I certainly hope he plays," Ryan told ESPN. "I thought he caught the ball well [Wednesday] and I thought he moved around pretty well."
Holmes has been running at full speed and looked good on his feet, but he's been limited in the team's practice all week. Still, the Jets are confident that the former Super Bowl MVP will suit up to play against former-teammate Darrelle Revis and the Bucs.
ESPN reports that the Jets will most likely use him in a limited role if he does play, as he'll appear on third downs and join Stephen Hill and Jeremy Kerley as a third receiver.
Holmes has remained relatively mum on his chances of returning for the season-opener, but Ryan and Holmes' teammates still believe that he'll be ready to go in a limited role. Holmes has said that he's not 100 percent but still feels good about what he's done in practice despite feeling pain in the morning.
"Honestly, I feel pretty good about the things I've tried to do thus far," Holmes said per ESPN.
Not having Holmes could be pivotal for the Jets as rookie quarterback and 2013 second-round NFL Draft pick (39th overall) Geno Smith is making his NFL regular-season debut and could use Holmes in the lineup as someone consistent to throw to since he's the team's most proven option at wideout.
Holmes will most likely be blanketed by Revis, who also injured himself last season and was out for the year with a knee injury.
Reports earlier this week indicated that Revis was giving away the Jets secrets and plays, but still the Jets respect their old teammate and hope that Holmes will be there Sunday to battle against him.
The Jets are looking to improve on a 6-10 showing last year. Holmes, who had 20 receptions for 270 yards and a touchdown before his injury last year, had 51 receptions for 654 yards and eight touchdowns in 2011, his last full season with the Jets.
© Copyright 2024 Sports World News, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.
