Jets wide receiver Arian Smith will be quick to help fill in for Garrett Wilson
Arian Smith of the Jets walks off the field after a game against the Buffalo Bills at MetLife Stadium on Sept. 14. Credit: Jim McIsaac
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Justin Fields’ vow to be more aggressive and take more chances with throws down the field made Arian Smith’s ears perk up.
The speedy Jets rookie is a former track star and could benefit if Fields does take more shots Sunday against Carolina, especially with Garrett Wilson slowed by a knee injury.
“It feels good to hear that,” Smith said Thursday. “Just knowing that’s a chance now, that excites me for sure to be able to make some plays downfield for us.”
The Jets were supposed to have an all-inclusive offense and spread the ball around this season. It hasn’t really worked out that way, but that likely will change on Sunday. It’s looking more likely that Fields won’t have his favorite target against the Panthers, as Wilson missed his second straight practice with a knee injury.
Aaron Glenn didn’t rule him out yet, saying he wants to see how he “progresses” during the week. The expectation all along was that Wilson would miss time, and the timing couldn’t be worse for the Jets (0-6).
Their offense didn’t score a touchdown in last week’s 13-11 loss to Denver. The Jets finished with a franchise-low minus-10 yards passing — with Wilson. Not having Wilson means the Jets’ unheralded receivers group and other skill players have to step up and make an impact.
“We’re going to miss G out there, but we can’t sit here and sulk on losing a guy, even as valuable as G,” receiver Josh Reynolds said. “We got to continue to just kind of push forward . . . to get some wins.”
Wilson leads the Jets with 36 catches, 395 yards and four touchdowns. The Jets’ next four receivers — Reynolds, Allen Lazard, Smith and Tyler Johnson — have a combined 20 receptions for 183 yards and a touchdown.
Reynolds didn’t practice Wednesday because of a hip issue. He was back on the field Thursday and practiced on a limited basis.
“It’s next man up,” offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said. “They are all professional football players, and they’re all here for a reason. We’ve got the utmost confidence in any of the guys that need to step up.”
This is an opportunity for Smith, a fourth-round pick from Georgia who has only four catches for 24 yards.
Smith’s snap count percentage has increased in four of the last five games. He played more than 56% of the offensive snaps in the last two. He had only one catch in those two games, but the Jets see signs of Smith maturing as an NFL player and could look his way more on Sunday.
“He’s done a really good job,” Glenn said. “He can take the top off. There are some times that we got to give him a chance on some of them deep balls one-on-one.”
Engstrand said, “I’ve seen flashes of really good wide receiver play, and I’ve seen flashes of him being a rookie. What I like, what I see in the flashes is what we saw on the college tape, and I’m encouraged by that.”
The Jets have the No. 5-ranked rushing offense, just behind Carolina.
The Panthers’ defensive game plan could be to load up the box and try to stop Breece Hall and the mobile Fields.
Carolina also could try to limit the short or underneath passes to Hall and tight end Mason Taylor. They have been the most targeted Jets after Wilson. Extra attention paid to Hall and Taylor could open things up for Smith and the rest of the Jets’ receivers.
“I welcome that,” Smith said. “It sucks that there’s a chance that [Wilson] might not go this week, but he wants us to go out there and do things that we should do because we practice and we’re brotherhood and he wants to win. So if we go out there and get a win without him, I’m sure he’ll be just happy as if he was out there.”
Wilson: ‘Never Wasted’
Wilson posted a picture of himself and wrote “Never Wasted” on Instagram. That was likely in response to ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky, who has said on more than one occasion this week that Wilson’s talent “is being wasted” with the Jets.
Quinnen wants wins
Quinnen Williams, who has only one sack this season, was asked if he’s antsy to increase his production. Williams responded, “I’m antsy to win football games.”
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
