The New York Jets are anticipating the return of two key rookies, cornerback D'Angelo Ponds and tight end Kenyon Sadiq, who were sidelined for most of training camp due to injuries. Both players, selected with two of the Jets' top four draft picks, are now making progress toward rejoining the active roster for the season opener against the Tennessee Titans.
Sadiq, the 16th overall pick, returned to practice last week. He had participated in the initial three practices of training camp before a setback from a hernia operation caused him to miss nearly a month. Last season at Oregon, Sadiq recorded 51 receptions for 560 yards and eight touchdowns. He expressed optimism about his availability, telling The Post, “I feel really good. I think I’ll be involved for sure [Sunday].”
Ponds, a second-round pick (50th overall), also returned to practice on Tuesday for the first time in over a month. He suffered a calf strain during the first practice of training camp on July 29, an injury initially not believed to be serious. "It's been tough, I can't lie to you on that," Ponds said of his extended absence. "The longest I've ever been out. … I didn't think it was going to be this long. But I'm ready now, ready to get back to it.” Despite the missed time, Ponds maintains his confidence, stating, “I'm a confident guy. Playing that position, you have to be confident.”
The two rookies leaned on each other during their rehabilitation periods, navigating the challenges of missing significant early-career practice time. "Obviously we're behind, but there's no pressure," Sadiq commented. "We're trying to go out there and do what we've done our whole lives, which has gotten us to this point.”