The Jets are hoping there will not be less of Elijah Moore after he departed practice early on Thursday.
The impressive rookie wide receiver left the field with a trainer with what Jets coach Robert Saleh later described as a quad injury. Asked if the issue would keep Moore out of Saturday’s preseason opener against the Giants, Saleh replied, “depending on the prognosis, for sure.”
“I’m an optimist. So I’m never worried until I’m worried. So, like I said, we’ll know more [after Moore is examined],” Saleh said.
The first-year head coach believed that Moore – the team’s second-round pick (34th overall) out of Mississippi – likely sustained the injury during one-on-one drills early in practice. He added that the rookie “probably” would undergo an MRI exam “to make sure we check every box.”
Saleh had said multiple times earlier in camp that the 21-year-old Moore didn’t behave like a typical rookie on or off the field, showing confidence and maturity.
“You already know that if this is something, whether it’s little or not, he’s going to attack the heck out of it and make sure that he’s doing everything he can to get it back to 100 percent,” Saleh said. “So that part is the furthest from our worries.”
Defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (foot surgery) is expected to fully participate next week for the first time in camp when the Jets hold joint practices with the Packers ahead of their preseason game Aug. 21 at Green Bay.
The Jets will run Williams through a simulated practice Friday, Saleh said, that will entail “trying to simulate 10-15 plays, get-offs, get back to the line of scrimmage … just to create as close to a practice environment that you would get to.”
Asked about the anticipation for his first preseason game as the Jets’ head coach, Saleh said “it’s awesome,” but noted, “it’s always about the players,” especially after last year’s preseason slate was wiped out by the pandemic.
“If you think about it, if you count last year’s group, 30 guys on our roster, somewhere around there, that have never had preseason action,” Saleh said. “To me, this is a big deal. These moments are priceless, especially for this team.”