Chris Owusu's progress slowed by another concussion

Chris Owusu stood under the hot summer sun counting his blessings.

After so many years of disappointments and injuries, he finally believed that everything was coming together. For the first time in a long time, he hadn't been worried about injuries or rehab. He simply was focused on playing football -- and he was doing it well.

Owusu has been one of the biggest standouts of Jets training camp, instantly emerging as an early contender for the fourth receiver spot behind Brandon Marshall, Eric Decker and Jeremy Kerley.

"I'm a man of faith and I believe God has a plan for me," Owusu told Newsday this past week. "And whether it's on the sideline or whether it's on the field, you've got to have joy in your heart.

"But to be healthy right now . . . it does kind of give me ease mentally."

He said that on Wednesday -- two days before suffering another concussion.

Jets coach Todd Bowles had little information immediately after Friday's practice aside from saying, "Owusu got dinged up in the head a little bit. I know he went out a little woozy. I have to go inside to see what's happening there.''

At the conclusion of Saturday's Green and White practice at MetLife Stadium, Bowles confirmed everyone's suspicion. He said Owusu did, in fact, suffer a concussion and will undergo more tests.

"It's tough," quarterback Geno Smith said. "You hate to see a guy who's been having a great camp like that go down like that. I mean, he's been doing a phenomenal job, he's worked his way into the ones [first-team offense] and he's been making plays for us."

After another good practice on Wednesday, the Stanford alum tried to explain the difference in his game and the source of his confidence.

"I just try to apply myself," he said. "There's a lot of things you can study, but it's hard for people to apply themselves. It's more about effort. How hard are you willing to do the extra beyond just installing the playbook in the offensive meeting room? Are you willing to study in your bedroom at night?"

And the fierce competition between the receivers has only helped him step up his game.

Said Marshall: "[Decker] wants to be the best wide receiver on the field every day. I want to be the best wide receiver on the field every day. Jeremy Kerley wants to be the best wide receiver on the field. Chris Owusu wants to be the best receiver on the field. We push each other every single day. When someone makes a play, we cheer for them. At the same time, it gives us that extra energy to compete and show them up."

And that's what Owusu loves most about his position group and their practice intensity.

"There are a lot of people on this team with God-given ability," he said. "I look at Brandon Marshall make these one-armed grabs and Eric Decker and Kerley make some crazy catches. And you want to go out there and emulate them. I try not to panic out there and just have a sense of what you're supposed to do when you're supposed to do it."

But more than anything, Owusu was happy to be injury-free. Little did he know that just a few days later, he'd be forced to leave practice with trainers by his side.

"I went through an emotional roller coaster with my concussions," said Owusu, who suffered three concussions in a 13-month span at Stanford -- including two in three weeks during his senior season, which forced him to miss the Cardinal's final four games.

After all these years, he can't even remember how many concussions he's suffered in total.

"Man, it's been so long. I think it was around three or four," Owusu said. "But my concussions were something that I had to deal with. But it's something I'm very thankful for and I thank God that they're in the past."

Unfortunately, he now has to add another to the list.