Geno Smith’s job won’t be any easier this weekend.
As expected, the Jets’ 25th-ranked offense will have to try and break the team’s three-game losing streak without starting running back Breece Hall (quad) and No. 2 wide receiver Adonai Mitchell (finger) in Sunday’s game against the Browns.
Hall will miss his second straight game, while Mitchell — who will be out for third consecutive game — remains sidelined longer than initially anticipated after the receiver got his finger caught in a defender’s jersey on Sept. 24.
Head coach Aaron Glenn said that Mitchell has not undergone a surgical procedure for the injury, but refused to clarify the diagnosis the receiver has received — “I’m not a doctor,” Glenn said — expressing optimism that Mitchell could return for the following week’s game at New England.
“When it comes to a receiver and you talk about a finger, those things vary when it comes to difficulty as far as catching the ball and the pain tolerance,” Glenn said Friday. “Actually, he’s progressing faster than we thought he would, once we got to the end of knowing exactly what the prognosis was as far as his finger. I like where he’s at and hopefully we’ll see how that goes onto next week.”
Mitchell’s absence — in addition to that of first-round pick Omar Cooper Jr. (ankle) and Arian Smith (ACL) — leaves Smith with a thin receiving corps, which produced just 119 yards in Sunday’s loss in Chicago.
However, the team will get back tight end Mason Taylor, who missed the past two games with a thumb injury. Veteran receiver Tim Patrick (groin) could also make his Jets debut after opening his 21-day practice window to be added to the active roster.
Glenn said that left guard Dylan Parham (knee) will also be out, along with linebacker Kiko Maiguoa (quad).
