Report: Timetable, severity of Michael Carter ankle injury revealed.
The New York Jets are a franchise that just can not catch a break. And after suffering yet another loss on the season, the Jets find themselves in the company of bad news again. New York’s rookie running back, Michael Carter, suffered a low-grade high ankle sprain, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. The injury is expected to take two to three weeks for Carter to recover.
The bad news for this injury is that it’s a high ankle sprain, which is the most significant sprain of the ankle. However, the good news is that it’s considered a low-grade sprain. And that’s why the recovery time is less than the typical four-to-six-week window for this injury.
Carter is the Jets fourth-round pick from this year’s draft, taken 107th overall. The rookie running back played his college ball for the North Carolina Tar Heels under head coach Mack Brown. In his time with the Tar Heels, Carter made two All-ACC teams in 2019 and 2020; the 2020 one was a first-team selection. Also, in 2020, he finished the season as an AP third-team All-American. He left the Tar Heels with 3,403 yards rushing in his collegiate career; which is good enough for 4th all-time in school history.
Carter has seen his usage raid with The Jets increase over the season. So far, the dual-threat running back has started in seven of the 10 games he has appeared. On the year, Carter has rushed the ball 11 times for 430 yards with four rushing touchdowns. And he’s caught 32 of his 46 targets on the season for 308 yards. Carter has a total of 738 yards from scrimmage and is averaging 73.8 yards a game for the Jets.
Where the Jets can go from here
Veteran guard and also first-year Jet, Morgan Moses had this to say about the progress he’s seen from his rookie running back.
“Being able to see where he comes from when we first started this journey and to see where he is at now, he’s making big strides and he is helping his team. He will be here for a long time,” Jets right tackle Morgan Moses said. “As he gets better and continues to play well and learn the game, and learn the speed of the game, his upscale is unbelievable. The sky is the limit for him.”
Before leaving New York’s 24- 17 loss to AFC East rival the Miami Dolphins, Carter had 63 rushing yards on nine carries and one catch for two yards. With Carter out, the Jets have a trio of running backs behind him set to go for this Sunday’s game at the Houston Texans. That list includes La’Mical Perine, Ty Johnson, and veteran running back Tevin Coleman. Coleman’s in his seventh season out of Indiana and was a part of two Super Bowl runs that fell short; In 2016 with the Atlanta Falcons and 2019 with the San Francisco 49ers.