Nick Mangold's 11th pro season has come to an end quicker than any of his previous 10 with the announcement that the Jets are placing him on Injured Reserve with an ankle injury.
The Jets have signed practice squad safety Doug Middleton to fill the active roster spot that opened with Mangold's move to IR. They have also added fullback Chris Swain to the practice squad.
Mangold arrived as a Jet with the 29th pick of the first round in the 2006 draft out of Ohio State and quickly established his excellence. He was named to seven Pro Bowl squads, in 2008-11 and 2013-15, starting in five all-star games, including the last two. He was also named All-Pro for the 2009 and '10 seasons.
As for durability, the bearded one opened his career with 82 consecutive games played and started — 89 if we include playoffs — before sitting out two games with an ankle injury early in 2011. When he returned, he promptly began another stretch of 59 straight games and starts before sitting out the '14 season finale. In his first 10 seasons he missed only four starts.
This season, however, Mangold first injured his ankle in the Game 7 win over Baltimore and missed the next four games. He returned for the Monday night game against Indianapolis and was in for 45 plays before reinjuring the ankle.
Middleton (6'0", 210) came to the Green & White as an undrafted free agent out of Appalachian State after this year's draft. He had a productive preseason, coming up with the game-sealing end zone interception in the 17-13 preseason-opening win over Jacksonville, then added a recovery of one fumble and a force of another fumble in the second half of the preseason finale at Philadelphia. He had 14 tackles and was in for 121 defensive snaps and 42 special teams plays.
The Jets made him a final cut Sept. 3 but then signed him to the practice squad the next day.
Swain was an undrafted free agent out of Navy signed by San Diego after the draft. He had seven carries for 16 yards and a touchdown and one reception for 11 yards in the preseason before being a final cut by the Chargers.
Practice Photos as the Jets Continue Prep for the Trip to San Francisco
Thursday Injury PictureHead coach Todd Bowles' Did Not Practice numbers went from 10 players to six, with Mangold included among the six before his move to IR. WR Jalin Marshall (concussion), S Antonio Allen (concussion), NT Steve McLendon (hamstring), T Breno Giacomini (shoulder/back/calf) and RB Khiry Robinson (leg) also didn't participate in team drills today. Bowles said only Robinson won't play Sunday at San Francisco.
DE Muhammad Wilkerson (ankle) and LB Lorenzo Mauldin (ankle) were limited and DE Leonard Williams (illness) was full-go.
