NY Jets activate WR Vyncint Smith and LB Blake Cashman off injured reserve

The NY Jets have activated Vyncint Smith and Blake Cashman off injured reserve.

The NY Jets continue to get healthier on both sides of the ball as they officially activated a pair of players off injured reserve on Saturday. Both wide receiver Vyncint Smith and linebacker Blake Cashman are set to return this Sunday after being activated off IR.

Smith has been out since the middle of the summer after suffering a core muscle injury that required him to undergo surgery. That surgery forced him to miss much of training camp and the first five weeks of the season.

He returned to practice this past week after he was designated to return from IR and now appears set to make his season debut this Sunday. Smith played 13 games with the Jets last season after being signed off the Houston Texans practice squad in September.

In those 13 games, Smith hauled in 17 receptions for 225 yards making the most of his limited opportunities. In fact, some saw Smith as a potential breakout candidate in 2020 given the Jets’ holes at wide receiver.

And now with the 24-year-old set to make his return, he should finally have the opportunity to do so.

The NY Jets will also see the return of linebacker Blake Cashman.

As for Cashman, the 2019 fifth-round pick missed the last four games after injuring his groin just three plays into the 2020 season. The Jets surprisingly opted to give Cashman the start in Week 1 over veteran Avery Williamson.

With Williamson and Neville Hewitt playing quite well, it will be interesting to see if the Jets give Cashman the starting nod or continue to roll with their current starting duo. Nonetheless, he provides much-needed linebacker depth for the time being.

In a corresponding move, the Jets announced the release of safety Marqui Christian who ended his brief tenure with the team playing a grand total of 12 snaps — all coming on special teams in Week 3.

Christian was signed by the Jets on September 23rd after being released by the Chicago Bears two days earlier. The Jets actually attempted to sign Christian in the offseason before the deal fell through.

Finally, the Jets announced that they had elevated quarterback Mike White from the practice squad once again, thus marking the second and final time that they could do so before he’s subject to normal waiver rules.

White will serve as Joe Flacco‘s backup with fourth-round pick James Morgan likely remaining a healthy scratch yet again. If Sam Darnold can’t return next week, the Jets will have to either make room for White on the active roster or roll with Morgan as the primary backup.

It’ll be nice to see both Smith and Cashman make their returns to the gridiron. At long last, the Jets appear to be getting healthier after an unfortunate few weeks.