Two AFC teams have now moved Jordan Jenkins off their 90-man roster this week. After the Texans released the veteran pass rusher, the Raiders have placed him on IR.
Jenkins, 28, suffered a torn ACL in the Raiders’ game against the Dolphins on Saturday, Wilson adds (on Twitter). This news certainly deals a blow to the veteran edge defender’s chances of showing a quality pass-rushing gear again. Jenkins sustained a season-ending knee injury, a PCL tear, in November 2021. The 2020s have brought injury misfortune for Jenkins, who suffered a torn shoulder labrum near the end of the 2020 season. He was also battling a calf issue during Texans camp.
This marks another setback for the Raiders’ edge-rushing situation, which has seen some unavailability affect it in recent weeks. The Raiders previously placed free agency addition Kyler Fackrell on IR and have been without Clelin Ferrell for a stretch due to injury. The latter is not a roster lock, despite being a former top-five pick.
A former third-round pick, Jenkins was a productive pass rusher for the Jets in the late 2010s. He combined for 15 sacks from 2018-19, but has not matched that work during his two 2020s campaigns. The seventh-year veteran has registered 4.5 combined sacks in 23 games with the Jets and Texans since 2020.
The Raiders still have edges Maxx Crosby and Chandler Jones set to anchor their front seven, but they are thin behind this high-priced duo. Malcolm Koonce, a 2021 third-rounder, and Tashawn Bower represent other options here. Fackrell and Jenkins, however, offered veteran presences who had shown, at points, quality pass-rushing capabilities.
The Raiders should be considered likely to explore other outside options for a top bench rusher in the near future. Jason Pierre-Paul and Trey Flowers are the top free agents available, though waiver claims — once teams pare their rosters from 85 to 53 over the next nine days — may be Vegas’ preferred method to bolster its roster.