Following Sunday’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, both wide receiver Garrett Wilson and tight end Tyler Conklin hinted that a players-only meeting could be on the horizon as the Jets try to right a ship that has led them to a 4-5 record entering a key stretch that includes games against the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins. That meeting happened Tuesday.
“The guys talked, and we had the floor,” wide receiver Garrett Wilson said during his weekly spot on the “Bart & Hahn Show” on ESPN New York radio. “It was just us. We got to make sure we’re all on the same page about where we’re at and how the hell we get out of this funk, man. That was really the message. When it comes from one of your teammates, it always hits different. It always resonates a little bit more.”
The Jets made a surprise move to help get out of the funk and provide a spark on offense as they released running back Michael Carter in his third season with the team, a stint that included leading the Jets in rushing as a rookie. Offensive tackle Mekhi Becton took to X to express his sadness on losing Carter.
This one hurts the most I can’t even lie… https://t.co/CcdTa1k3sV
— Trending Topic 🤷🏾♂️ (@BigTicket73) November 14, 2023
He definitely will be missed 😭 miss him already https://t.co/3EEUripIGQ
— Trending Topic 🤷🏾♂️ (@BigTicket73) November 15, 2023
The Jets certainly seem to have lost a great teammate, but the Jets needed to find a way to create a spark on offense. They may not have needed to straight up release Carter, but the move does allow the Jets to utilize Israel Abanikanda more.
The Jets will get their next chance to get out of their funk Sunday in Buffalo, a game the Jets really could use to get back to 5-5 and back in the playoff mix, especially against a team that just fired their offensive coordinator in Ken Dorsey and will now have quarterbacks coach and former Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady now running the offense for the 5-5 Bills.
We’ll see this week if that players-only meeting, plus the addition of Abanikanda, are what the Jets needed to right the ship in 2023.
