Jets running back Michael Carter is expected to miss “a couple weeks” with what head coach Robert Saleh called a “very low-grade high ankle sprain” suffered in Sunday’s loss to Miami, and the team is hopeful he’ll be able to get back into action before the end of the season.
“It’s really a blow for him; I think other guys will step up and handle the load, but Michael is one of those young guys I’m talking about who is getting better every week,” Saleh said. “It’s a high-ankle sprain so well look at it, and we’ll make sure that ankle is fully healthy before we rush him back.”
Carter had nine carries for 63 yards and one catch for two yards when he departed, hurt on a two-yard run on the Jets’ second play of the second half.
“Every time he touches the ball, he makes someone miss. He’s finding yards, and he’s so dynamic with the ball in his hands,” Saleh said. “Missing this time where he can get better is a blow for him.”
Tevin Coleman, who himself was recently activated after missing time with an injury, had five carries for 16 yards and one catch for two yards after Carter’s departure. He and Ty Johnson, who had one five-yard carry and one eight-yard reception on Sunday, will likely split reps in the Jets’ backfield while Carter is out.
The Jets also have La’Mical Perine, who has one carry this season, on the active roster, and Austin Walter is on the practice squad.
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Carter, a fourth-round pick out of North Carolina, has 430 yards and four touchdowns on the ground this season, leading the Jets’ backfield committee in both categories. He also has 32 catches for 308 yards, marks which are both third on the team receiving-wise, and has established himself as the clear lead dog in what had been a backfield-by-committee.
The rookie has also drawn praise from quite a few teammates, including quarterback Joe Flacco on Sunday and offensive lineman Morgan Moses on Monday, as well as his offensive coordinator.
“His balance, as you guys have seen, it’s pretty incredible,” OC Mike LaFleur said last week. “He just doesn’t go down usually from the first contact, and it’s not because he’s Jerome Bettis with people bouncing off him. He’s just a slippery dude, with great contact balance and a will and a want.”
“To see his work ethic as a rookie, and how it translated into his load increasing every week…he’s a back who can stay on the field for all three downs, and that’s important in this league,” Moses said. “He’s making big strides, and as he continues to learn the game, the sky is the limit for him.”
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