NY Jets LB Jarrad Davis out two months (ankle) as defense loses another starter. What now?

Things just got even more difficult for the New York Jets' already banged-up defense.

Starting linebacker Jarrad Davis, who suffered an ankle injury in Saturday's preseason win over the Packers and was carted off Lambeau Field, is expected to be sidelined for two months.

Jets coach Robert Saleh said Monday that Davis is expected to be back "sometime around" the team's Week 6 bye. The Jets are scheduled to play the Falcons in London on Oct. 10 and return from the bye on Oct. 24 at New England.

That's bad news for a Jets defense that is already thin at linebacker and is still reeling from last week's season-ending injury to star edge rusher Carl Lawson, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon in Thursday's joint practice with the Packers.

In the span of two days, the Jets lost their two biggest defensive free agent pickups off the offseason for an extended period of time. And there's no way to replace what they were brought in to do: Lawson's ability to get to the quarterback made him arguably the most important player on the defense, and Davis was one of only two experienced linebackers on the roster.

The Jets have also been without two key offensive players rookies in the first two preseason games: wide receiver Elijah Moore suffered a quad injury on Aug. 12 and left guard Alijah Vera-Tucker strained his pectoral muscle in the first padded practice on Aug. 3. Neither has practiced since being injured, and the hope is to get them on the field this week for practice against the Eagles.

Saleh said "God willing" both will be ready for the season opener, Sept. 12 in Carolina.

Even with that somewhat good news, the Jets' injury issues since the start of training camp have been a brutal, cruel twist after an otherwise positive offseason

But Saleh maintained his trademark optimism Monday. And seemed to indicate that rookie Jamien Sherwood is about to take on a much bigger role in the defense in Davis' absence.

"We really like our linebacker group," Saleh said. "We’ve got a combination of youth and experience. Sherwood has been doing a really nice job so, we’re expecting him to slide in and pick up where Jarrad left off. He’s been having a really nice camp and it’s an opportunity for him to step in and take on a bigger role. With regards to that linebacker group, we’re really excited about that unit."

Ultimately, we'll have to wait until September to see if Saleh's excitement is warranted. But at this moment, the linebacker group is one of the biggest question marks on the roster.

The Jets signed Davis, 26, in March to be the strong-side linebacker alongside veteran C.J. Mosley. The 2017 Lions first round pick brought athleticism and experience that made him an ideal fit. Now, the Jets will turn to Sherwood, a fifth-round pick who played safety at Auburn before the Jets converted him to linebacker over the past four months.

Mosley has proven to be one of the best middle linebackers in the game. He's leaner and quicker than the last time we saw him, arriving at camp weighing 230 pounds, about 20 lighter than his previous playing weight. But it's still way too early to know what the Jets are going to get from the 29-year-old who has played only three healthy quarters in the past two years — he missed nearly all of 2019 with a core injury and opted out of the 2020 season.

And at weak-side linebacker, the Jets have just as many question marks: Noah Dawkins, who has played four career snaps on defense, appears to be the front-runner to be the starter. He's competing with rookie Hamsah Nasirildeen, a sixth round pick who has shown some promise in camp, but is also making the quick transition from college safety to professional linebacker.

The Jets also have big-time questions in the secondary — they don't have a proven cornerback on the roster. And while the defensive line is a strength, losing Lawson is going to make everyone's job harder because there's no way their pass rush is going to be as good as it could have been — which means opposing quarterbacks are going to have more time to see the field and exploit weaknesses.

All of that, of course, is an analysis of what we know. There's a whole lot we don't know, including exactly what Saleh and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be asking of his young players. Saleh has a history of putting young, unproven players in a position to succeed. Perhaps he'll be able to do it again, and the Jets' defense can exceed expectations.

But right now, that looks like an uphill battle.

Noteworthy

►It sounds as if Vera-Tucker, the Jets' second pick of the first round, is more likely to get on the field this week than Moore, the Jets' second-round pick. Of Moore, Saleh said "that one's more day-to-day."

►Saleh wouldn't get specific about Davis' injury. When asked if it was a high-ankle sprain, he said it's "not necessarily a high-ankle sprain but it’s enough that it’ll be treated like one." Davis' injury looked like it could have been much worse — he got rolled up on awkwardly and his leg got pinned at a grotesque angle under the full body weight of another player — so from a very glass-half-full perspective, the Jets are probably grateful he has a chance to play the final 12 games of the season.

►Backup offensive lineman Conor McDermott suffered a knee injury on his first snap of Saturday's game and is expected to miss the season. Defensive lineman Ronald Blair, who suffered a hamstring injury against the Packers, is day-to-day.

►Quarterback Mike White, who appears to be the favorite to be Zach Wilson's backup, is day-to-day after leaving Saturday's game with a rib injury. White took several brutal hits to his midsection against the Packers.