Darrelle Revis says he got word on the sideline during the game that Jim Leonhard is out for the season.
Darrelle Revis on Jim Leonhard's knee injury: "I heard he's out for the season. That's what I heard on the sideline."
This could quite possibly be the truth. I am sure somebody was sending the latest word to Rex Ryan so it could have been overheard. I think back to Hard Knocks last year when Rex found out on the sidelines during the Carolina preseason game that Ropati Pitoitua was gone for the season.
This would be a tough blow for the Jets. First of all, it would mean little chance of Eric Smith seeing more bench since his logical replacement, Brodney Pool, would have to start for Leonhard. Losing Jim on punt returns would also be rough. He was about the one guy the Jets could rely upon to secure the catch.
Let us not overstate the potential loss of Leonhard. It would not be like losing Darrelle Revis or David Harris. The team managed to make the AFC Championship Game last year without him and shut down the best offense in the league in the process. Leonhard is a playmaker and very strong against the run, though. He also has a tendency to cover when other guys are not in their spot. Smith makes a lot of his tackles against the run far from the line. A lot of Leonhard's plays against the run are the result of minimal gain because he flies into the gap when somebody else has blown his assignment.