Dee Milliner Done For The Season; Brian Winters Placed On IR
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — The nightmare continues, as the New York Jets' shaky secondary is in shambles.
Starting cornerback Dee Milliner was placed on season-ending injured reserve with a torn Achilles tendon on Monday, and the Jets signed cornerback Josh Thomas to take his spot on the roster.
The Jets also placed left guard Brian Winters on injured reserve with a torn ACL and claimed offensive lineman Wesley Johnson off of waivers from the Steelers.
"They look like significant injuries," coach Rex Ryan said earlier Monday, adding that there was a "definite chance" they could be season-ending injuries.
"Both those guys, it doesn't look good," Ryan said.
Milliner injured his right leg in the Jets' 31-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. He was expected to be the team's top cornerback, pairing with free-agent signing Dimitri Patterson in the secondary.
But Milliner missed most of training camp and the season opener with a high ankle sprain, and sat out two games with a quadriceps injury. The team's first-round pick last year was hurt about two minutes into Sunday's game while playing special teams on Brandon McManus' 37-yard field goal for Denver when he crumpled to the turf. Milliner was helped up by team trainers, but couldn't put any weight on the leg.
He was taken to the locker room and seen leaving MetLife Stadium on a cart after the game, crutches at his side.
The Jets are now without their projected top three cornerbacks heading into training camp. Patterson was cut before the regular season after he left the team without permission and missed a preseason game. Rookie Dexter McDougle, a third-round pick, was also lost for the season after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament during camp.
The Jets have been forced into using converted safety Antonio Allen, career backup Darrin Walls and late-summer signing Phillip Adams as starters at cornerback this season.
Winters, a third-round pick last year, was replaced Sunday by Oday Aboushi, who was selected in the fifth round a year ago. Winters started the final 12 games of his rookie season, and was a starter for the first six games this year.
Backup wide receiver Greg Salas injured a wrist and ankle — both on the same play, Ryan said — and his status is uncertain. Rookie linebacker Trevor Reilly also injured a knee and didn't return to the game Sunday.
Thomas, out of the University at Buffalo, was a fifth-round pick of Dallas in 2011. He has also spent time with Carolina and was with Seattle earlier this season.
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