There is hope Sam Darnold can return to the Jets by Week 5, but that will hinge on the size of his spleen.
The young quarterback will undergo tests Monday to determine if he has an enlarged spleen, according to ESPN’s Chris Mortenson. One of the side-effects of mono is an enlarged spleen, which severely limits Darnold’s ability to practice and even exercise at all. Darnold returned to the Jets’ facility last week but has only been able to do some light walking and ride on the stationary bike, per Mortenson.
If the tests come back clean, Darnold can finally begin practicing and it could put him on track to play against the Eagles next week.
The Jets desperately need Darnold to return. The team is 0-3 and the offense looks lost with third-string backup Luke Falk under center. There’s hope Darnold can return after the Week 4 bye in time to play the Eagles on Oct. 6, but the Jets still need to be cautious with their young franchise quarterback.
This is another positive step toward getting Darnold back on the field, but everything comes down to this test. If Darnold can’t get back to practice soon, his Week 5 availability will be in serious doubt. Darnold won’t solve all of the Jets’ problems, but having him under center will significantly increase the team’s chances to compete on Sundays.
