Jets placing C.J. Mosley on IR, Breece Hall and Sauce Gardner doubtful vs. Dolphins

The New York Jets are down three of their three most important players for Sunday’s Week 14 game against the Miami Dolphins — and one of them might’ve played his last game in a Jets uniform. C.J. Mosley (neck) will go on injured reserve while Breece Hall (knee) and Sauce Gardner (hamstring) are doubtful to play, head coach Jeff Ulbrich announced Friday.

Mosley is going on injured reserve with a neck injury that has lingered since he suffered it during the pregame warmups of a Week 8 loss to the New England Patriots on Oct. 27. Mosley had been trying to fight his way back onto the field but ultimately missed the last five games, including the Patriots game, and never got to a place where he was comfortable enough to suit back up.

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Mosley is the Jets defensive captain and has been a crucial part of the team’s defensive resurgence over the last few years, named both a Pro Bowler and All-Pro in 2022. He signed a huge contract with the previous regime in 2019, only played two games his first year, skipped 2020 due to C0V1D-19 and then played just about every snap for the next three years. Now, it wouldn’t be a surprise if he played his final snaps as a Jet — and maybe even the last of his career. He’s under contract for 2025 with $4.25 million guaranteed, though he could retire.

As for Hall and Gardner: Hall battled through a knee injury to play last week against the Seattle Seahawks but was mostly ineffective and there’s not much point in throwing one of their most important players out there in a lost season. Hall has accumulated 1,093 total yards and six touchdowns, though he’s only averaging 4.2 yards per carry and hasn’t broken out this year as many expected. It wouldn’t be shocking if Hall was ultimately shut down for the last five games, allowing the Jets to give a trial run of significant snaps to rookies Braelon Allen and Isaiah Davis.
Gardner suffered a hamstring injury against the Seahawks and Ulbrich said earlier in the week that a game against Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle is not the one to play a cornerback battling hamstring issues. This shouldn’t be a long-term injury — and veteran Brandin Echols will likely start in his place.
The Jets are also getting back wide receiver Allen Lazard after a four-week absence due to a chest injury.