Jets Place Jim Leonhard And Jamarko Simmons ON IR

[b&bjetsfan]

#Jets make it official, place Jim Leonhard on injured reserve. Also place TE Jamarko Simmons on practice-squad IR.

[JetNation]

Here is the press release from the New York Jets on Jim Leonhard:

The New York Jets have placed

S Jim Leonhard

on injured reserve with a torn patellar tendon and

TE Jamarko Simmons

on practice squad injured reserve with an injured lower back. The announcements were made by Jets General Manager Mike Tannenbaum.

Leonhard (5-8/198/Wisconsin/Ladysmith, WI)

, a seventh-year veteran, has started 43 games since joining the Jets as an unrestricted free agent in 2009. This season, Leonhard totaled 60 tackles, one interception and seven passes defensed. He also averaged 9.2 yards per punt return. For his career, he has played in 94 games with 60 starts and produced 365 tackles, 38 passes defensed, six interceptions and 3.5 sacks. He averaged 10.0 yards on 82 career punt returns.

Simmons (6-2/240/Western Michigan/Flint, MI)

was signed to the Jets practice squad (10/31/11). He played in eight games while starting three at wide receiver for the Jacksonville Sharks of the AFL before signing with the Virginia Destroyers of the UFL (07/05/11). He contributed a total of 12 touchdowns, six rushing and six receiving, to the top-ranked Jacksonville scoring offense (64.3 points per game). Simmons originally signed with the Sharks (10/20/10) after signing with the Green Bay Packers (05/01/09) as an undrafted free agent before being waived (08/07/09). Simmons finished his collegiate career with 260 catches for 3,019 yards and 17 TDs. He is Western Michigan’s all-time leader in receptions.

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[AFJF]

Wonderful! I just find it so hard to believe that there's not a practice squad safety out there somewhere who's better than Eric Smith. This sucks.

[slats]

Wonderful! I just find it so hard to believe that there's not a practice squad safety out there somewhere who's better than Eric Smith. This sucks.

I agree they should be looking. I think the problem is getting a safety in here who can learn the system with just a couple games left before (what they hope isn't) the end of the season.

And as much as fans talk about the safety spot, there's nothing that Rex has done since he's gotten here that suggests that he thinks the position is the same high level priority. You could argue that he's dumped better talent than he's brought in at safety. I don't think this injury changes the Jets' priorities in the off season at all. I think the Jets will still have a pass rusher who can play every down and OL as bigger concerns. I've seen Jim Leonhard's obituary being written, but I think he'll be back next year. He does a lot of things for the Jets, and I think the Jets will be competitive with any offers he might get coming off this injury.