The New York Jets are still being plagued by the injuries from their disastrous 2019. They’re already down two wide receivers.
Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported Tuesday afternoon that the New York Jets have placed wide receivers Quincy Enunwa and Josh Bellamy on the physically unable to perform list. Rapoport also reported that both receivers will miss the entire 2020 season due to injuries sustained in 2019.
Both players are dealing with significant injuries and won’t play for the #Jets this season. https://t.co/crIdAy2dzU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) May 5, 2020
The news about Eunuwa doesn’t come as a surprise. He suffered his second serious neck injury in as many years in 2020. That injury was followed by a diagnosis of spinal stenosis. It was never likely that he was ever going to play football again.
Enunwa’s still on the roster because his contract is guaranteed for injuries. That means all his money for the 2020 season became fully guaranteed at the start of the league year if he was unable to pass a physical. The Jets had no choice but to keep him on the roster.
The same isn’t true for Josh Bellamy who suffered a shoulder injury in November of 2019 that cost him the majority of the 2019 season. He seemed likely to be cut after the season, but that never came.
This makes less sense now that Bellamy is slated to miss the entire 2020 season. Bellamy had no guaranteed money left on his contract and didn’t have any injury guarantees so cutting him would have been simple. Instead, general manager Joe Douglas has decided to hang onto the standout special teamer.
Losing Bellamy and Enunwa to injury likely won’t affect the Jets much this season. Bellamy was replaced effectively on special teams in 2019, and Enunwa was never likely to provide much after his injuries.
The real strain is on the cap space where the two players take up a combined $10.05 million. That’s enough money to help sign another impact player like Jadeveon Clowney, Everson Griffen, Cam Newton, Clay Matthews, or Prince Amukamara.