The NY Jets have high expectations for rookie wide receiver Malachi Corley, who is expected to compete for reps as the team's WR3 this summer. Corley has received rave reviews since arriving in Florham Park, but his ascension was temporarily halted on Wednesday.
The Jets hosted their third open-media practice of OTAs on Wednesday, and reports from the facility indicate that Corley exited early with an apparent injury and did not return.
Corley was later seen on the Jets sideline walking with a noticeable limp, per SNY's Connor Hughes, and standing without his helmet on. While the injury did not appear to be severe, it was enough to keep him out for the remainder of the day.
The specifics of Corley's apparent injury are unclear, but it seems unlikely that he would be standing on the sideline for most of the day if it was a significant ailment. Missed time is never ideal for any rookie, but this does not appear to be a serious situation.
The Jets are off on Thursday before returning to the practice field on Friday. That will be the next opportunity Jets fans have to receive an update on Corley, although it wouldn't be surprising to see him miss a few days of practice.
Teams tend to be very cautious with injuries during this time of the year. After all, there's no sense in rushing a player back onto the field given that these are just voluntary padless practices.
If Corley is still sidelined by the time mandatory minicamp kicks off on June 11, that would be a slight cause for concern. But until then, or until we hear any concrete update, there is no reason to be alarmed.
Other players who sat out due to injuries, both of which are undisclosed at this time, include running back Breece Hall and wide receiver Irvin Charles. Mike Williams and Alijah Vera-Tucker continued their rehab at the facility but weren't seen on the field.
Also of note is that projected starting left guard John Simpson, who sat out last week with an undisclosed injury, returned to team drills on Wednesday. Morgan Moses sat out as he continued to rehab his pectoral injury, so Carter Warren ran with the first-team offense at right tackle.
The Jets have five OTA practices left before mandatory minicamp kicks off next month. Here's to hoping Corley is able to return to the field in the near future.
