Sam Darnold is one step closer to returning, but he's far from a lock to play Sunday.
Jets coach Adam Gase told reporters Monday that Darnold has been cleared for noncontact drills and will resume throwing later in the day. The second-year quarterback, however, is still a "question mark" for Sunday's game at Philadelphia, Gase said.
Darnold has been out since Week 1 after contracting mononucleosis. The Jets, who had their bye week this past weekend, are off to a 0-3 start.
"Right now what they're telling us is he can't have any contact," Gase said. "So if we were playing the game tomorrow or Wednesday, like, he wouldn't be able to play 'cause he hasn't been cleared for contact."
The biggest concern with mono is an enlarged spleen, which is vulnerable to rupture when it gets hit.
"I feel like I could play right now," Darnold said. "Obvously that's coming from a place without practicing or anything with the last three weeks. But I'm pretty confident in myself that I'd be able to go out there and adapt. For me, it's the timing aspect of everything. It's dropping back and throwing a ball where it needs to be and all that kind of stuff. If I can continue to work on that — throwing and timing routes — I think that would be where most of my concern would be, not necessarily the conditioning aspect of it."For me, it's just about doing what the doctors say. Like I said, it's out of my control. My spleen at this point is going to do what it's going to do, and right now I'm just focused on — if they say I can get some cardio in, getting in as much cardio as I can.
If Darnold cannot play Sunday, Luke Falk would make his second career start. Gase said it's "not an ideal situation" that he doesn't know who will start at quarterback Sunday as his team begins to prepare for Philadelphia.
"It's kind of one of those things where the sooner, the better that I have an answer," Gase said. "Right now it is what it is. So, I mean, I just have to keep kind of preparing with the possibility of Sam going and then possibility that Luke might have to go."
Meanwhile, Gase said that linebacker C.J. Mosely, out since suffering a groin injury in Week 1, is unlikely to practice Wednesday, and the coach didn't sound optimistic about Mosley's chances of playing against the Eagles. But defensive lineman Quinnen Williams, the team's first-round draft pick in April, should return from his ankle injury Sunday, Gase said.
Gase also hinted Monday that some lineup changes could be in store for the Jets' offensive line. He said the linemen are "competing" this week and that he'll play "the best five guys" Sunday.
The Jets are 28th in the league in rushing yards per game (65.7) and 29th in yards per carry (3.0). They also have allowed the fifth-most sacks in the league (13) despite playing one fewer game than all but a handful of teams.
