FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- The New York Jets have been lucky with injuries, but no team is immune. With injuries mounting at safety and wide receiver, plus a concern at running back, they might have to use three players Sunday who weren't on the roster at the start of the season: Dion Bailey, Kenbrell Thompkins and Stevan Ridley.
If center Nick Mangold (neck) isn't available to face the Oakland Raiders, the Jets will be forced to start Dakota Dozier or Wesley Johnson, neither of whom has significant NFL experience.
A closer look at the players:
Dion Bailey, strong safety: He's expected to start for Calvin Pryor, who will miss time with a significant ankle sprain. Bailey started in Weeks 1 and 2 for the Seattle Seahawks, who cut him as soon as Kam Chancellor ended his holdout. The Jets picked him up on waivers and he ended up playing a few days later in the Week 4 win over the Miami Dolphins. He's in the lineup because Jaiquawn Jarrett was placed on injured reserve.
The Oakland Raiders were interested in claiming him on waivers, according to Bailey, who suspects they have a healthy respect for his talent and won't attack him. He's a very good tackler but he can be exposed in pass coverage, which was the case last week on the game-turning, third-and-17 conversion by the New England Patriots.
Bailey is no stranger to Raiders quarterback Derek Carr. In college, Bailey (USC) met Carr (Fresno State) in a 2013 bowl game.
"We put a whupping on him the Vegas Bowl," said Bailey, alluding to USC's 45-20 victory.
Kenbrell Thompkins, wide receiver: It has been a quick rise for the former Patriot. He was signed to the practice squad Oct. 5 and to the 53-man roster Oct. 20. He was inactive last week against his former team, but that will change. With Devin Smith (ankle) and Chris Owusu (concussion) nursing injuries, Thompkins will dress Sunday to give them four healthy receivers.
"He has to be ready," said offensive coordinator Chan Gailey, who likes to use four-receiver packages.
"He’s very conscientious, he works hard, he’s got more speed than maybe I thought he had," Gailey added. "If he knows what to do, he’ll play fast. He’s caught it when we’ve thrown it to him. That’s all we can ask from the guy. I mean, it will take time for him to work in to where [Ryan] Fitzpatrick has a feel for him, but if he’s in generally the right spot, we’ll be just fine."
Translation: He has a ways to go before he's comfortable with his plays.
Stevan Ridley, running back: It looked like he'd be activated last week from the physically-unable-to-perform list, but the coaches decided to carry only two backs while Bilal Powell sat out with an ankle injury. Because of Chris Ivory's temperamental hamstring, it makes sense to go with three. It will be Ridley or Powell, if he's healthy.
Ridley, who suffered a major knee injury last season with the Patriots, hasn't played a game in a full calendar year. Now, after nearly two weeks of practice, he's ready.
"He looks better this week than he did last week, and I think he’s more comfortable running now," Gailey said. "He was a little ginger the first few times. It’s been better lately. He seems to be running with more confidence and doing things with more confidence. He looks pretty good to me."
Dozier/Johnson, center: The Jets are singing the "next man up" song, but it's a bit off key as it pertains to a potential Mangold replacement. Neither Dozier (four NFL snaps) nor Johnson have started an NFL game. Neither player is a natural center. Johnson started seven games at center for Vanderbilt, but it hardly makes him a seasoned pivot man. Without Mangold, who handle the in-line communication, they'd have to rely on the four other linemen to help the new center. It could get messy, especially in a hostile stadium.