The New York Jets, like every team around the NFL, were excited to be back on the field during OTAs. The practices are light as the league has strict rules against how much contact can be had. It is a good chance for new players to be introduced to teammates and coaches, but unfortunately, disappointment can still strike.
That is what happened to the Jets last week and safety Chuck Clark went down with an injury. Early indications were not positive, as it was reported that Clark suffered a serious injury to his knee.
The team was awaiting more testing and a second opinion before making an official announcement. Disappointingly, those tests proved their worst nightmare. Clark suffered an ACL tear, which will end his season before it even got started.
The Adrian Amos signing left a lot of people scratching their heads when it was announced as Clark was expected to start opposite Jordan Whitehead as the Jets’ safety tandem. But, once news began trickling out about the potential severity of Clark’s injury, the addition of Amos made a lot more sense.
Despite not being with the team long, Clark was already making his presence felt. He was building chemistry and a rapport with Whitehead and was impressing his new coaches with how he carried himself.
Clark was acquired by the Jets earlier in the offseason from the Baltimore Ravens. It was a move that many people lauded as New York traded only a 2024 seventh-round pick to acquire the 28-year-old.
He was a mainstay in the Ravens’ defense, playing in 96 out of a possible 97 games during his six-year tenure with the franchise. He also had a defensive snaps streak of over 1,200 that went back into the 2021 campaign that will unfortunately now be snapped because of the ACL injury.
Amos will now step into the lineup in Clark’s spot. Despite only being with the Jets for a few months, his presence is one that was already being felt. Amos, who has started every game for the Green Bay Packers for the last four seasons, will have some big shoes to fill in the Jets’ defense.
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