Bradley McDougald’s Jets tenure is likely over.
Adam Gase said Wednesday that he doesn’t expect the safety to come back from a shoulder injury “any time soon,” per the New York Post’s Brian Costello. McDougald is eligible to come off the injured reserve list, but he doesn’t appear ready. With only fives games left in the season and the Jets out of the playoff hunt, there’s no reason to rush McDougald back.
With McDougald set to become a free agent at the end of the year, his time as a Jet appears over after just seven games. McDougald recorded 36 total tackles, three pass defenses and one fumble recovery. McDougald had a 41.0 overall grade, per Pro Football Focus. That is considered replaceable on the PFF grading scale. McDougald was targeted 16 times and allowed 13 receptions.
McDougald was acquired in the trade that sent Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks. He was expected to be a solid replacement for Adams, but it just didn’t work out that way. Once McDougald went out with the shoulder injury, it was hard to see him regaining his starting job with the Jets having high hopes for rookie Ashtyn Davis.
McDougald will hit the free agent market coming off the shoulder injury with hopes of finding a new team. It’s hard to envision the Jets bringing him back given their situation at safety.
