Morris Claiborne is feeling good, he was full-go at practice all week, and he's ready to return to his starting corner role against QB Cam Newton, WR Devin Funchess and the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.
"I feel a lot better," Claiborne said after today's final practice of the week at the Atlantic Health Jets Training Center. "I feel like I'm getting better. This was my first week being able to practice full and get all my reps" since after the Atlanta game.
Head coach Todd Bowles agreed and, when asked about the possibility of reinjuring his foot, said, "Well, we'll see. Anything can happen. But he's a lot better from the week before."
Claiborne, after resting the foot against Buffalo, came back at Tampa Bay but got in only 16 first-half defensive snaps before coming out.
"I felt good at that time," he said of warming up before the Bucs game. "It was just that I didn't feel like I could perform at a high level. I felt if I was out there, I'm going to give it everything I've got and I don't want to be the cause of any big play or anything like that happening."
He remembered hobbling on a deep DeSean Jackson crossing route before he exited.
"I couldn't really turn and plant off the foot and go downhill. It took me like a wider turn to try to get to him," he said. "Playing on one leg against DeSean Jackson, that ain't going to match up well."
But now Claiborne is feeling like he's good to go as the 4-6 Jets begin their stretch run on the outside looking in at the playoffs.
"I feel like as a team we're still together," Mo said. "We know what's going on right now, we know we're still in this thing. You look around the league, everybody's pretty much all together. We still have a fighting chance. We've just got to take care of our business on Sunday and the weeks after that."
Besides Claiborne, the Jets' injury list is longish but they appear to be in good health coming off their bye against Carolina. Bowles said only RB Matt Forte (knee), G Brian Winters (abdomen) and DL Muhammad Wilkerson (foot) were limited at practice today and all are questionable for the Panthers.
Asked about Forté specifically, the coach said, "from no practice to limited, that's encouragement. ... It'll be a game-time decision for him."
