The Jets were down to two healthy running backs — Le’Veon Bell and Frank Gore — by the end of Sunday’s scrimmage.
Speedy rookie La’Mical Perine, the team’s fourth-round draft pick out of Florida, had to be carted off the MetLife Stadium turf after suffering an injury to his left ankle that will require an MRI exam, coach Adam Gase said after the scrimmage.
The Jets’ trade last week with the Miami Dolphins for running back Kalen Ballage (for a conditional seventh-round pick) also has been voided because he failed his physical, The Post confirmed.
Perine fell awkwardly when hit by the defense on a screen pass along the right sideline during the scrimmage. He limped to the sideline and was carted off after GM Joe Douglas chatted with him and the trainers. Running back Josh Adams also remains sidelined with a hamstring issue.
Bell, who complained last week about not getting enough practice reps, saw plenty of action in the scrimmage with both the first team and the second team. He lined up to the left side and made a back-shoulder catch on a nine-yard touchdown pass from Sam Darnold.
Steve McLendon said the previous several days were “very, very, very emotional” concerning the Jets’ discussions about a course of action following the recent shooting of Jacob Blake by police in Kenosha, Wis.
“At the end of the day, I’m going to die a Black man, but I don’t want to die from brutality coming from someone that has some type of hatred in their heart,” McLendon said.
In the kicking competition, Sam Ficken made all four of his field goal attempts from 33, 41, 48 and 52 yards. Brett Maher attempted kicks from the same distances, but missed the latter two.
Starting safety Marcus Maye was removed from the session due to calf tightness. Maye wanted to continue but Gase said he “wasn’t taking any chances.” Wide receiver Jeff Smith (shoulder) will miss “a couple of weeks,” Gase said. … Right guard Greg Van Roten (oblique) also did not play. … The Jets claimed wide receiver DJ Montgomery off waivers from Cleveland.