Jets’ Rontez Miles, Jordan Leggett to miss Bills game
Jets safety Rontez Miles stretches during training camp in Florham Park, New Jersey on Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. Credit: James Escher
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The Jets will officially be without safety Rontez Miles and tight end Jordan Leggett for Sunday’s game against the Bills, coach Todd Bowles said Friday.
Bowles did not have a return timetable for Miles, who broke his orbital bone in two places (Miles said Wednesday he could soon be ready to play). Bowles said he was unsure if Leggett, nursing an injured knee, would be available for Week 2. He said it’s possible the Jets would activate all three of their tight ends Sunday — Neal Sterling, Will Tye and Eric Tomlinson.
Tye and Sterling are new additions to the team, but Bowles said he was confident that they’d learn as much as they need to. None of the new additions on offense — the two tight ends, along with Jeremy Kerley and Jermaine Kearse — are expected to fully know the playbook by this weekend.
“We’re trying to teach them what we can and what they can handle,” Bowles said. Tye and Sterling are “getting it down. Will’s been here longer, obviously, he’s getting the plays down. Neal just got here, so to speak, but he’s a bright guy. He’s picking it up fast.”
Bowles added: “For the most part, core-wise, I’m comfortable. There’s a couple guys that are going to have to do some new things and they get to go out and play.”
Bowles said they’d miss Miles on special teams, but on defense, the Jets are prepared with backup safeties if needed. Terrance Brooks plays behind Jamal Adams and Marcus Maye, but Bowles said the team has other players who can fill the role. He declined to say who those players are.
Laura Albanese is a reporter, feature writer and columnist covering local professional sports teams; she began at Newsday in 2007 as an intern.
