NY Jets place RB Frank Gore and OL Josh Andrews on injured reserve

The NY Jets have placed Frank Gore and Josh Andrews on injured reserve.

The NY Jets have placed a pair of players on injured reserve just days before their season finale against the New England Patriots in Week 17.

Running back Frank Gore and offensive lineman Josh Andrews, two offensive starters, have been placed on IR after suffering injuries during the team’s Week 16 victory over the Cleveland Browns.

Gore played the vast majority of the game carrying the ball 14 times for 48 yards and officially reaching the 16,000-yard mark for his career. But on the very play he hit 16,000, he exited and immediately went to the locker room.

The injury has been described as a bruised lung and it’s one that will end his season — and perhaps his NFL career. If that does turn out to be the final game Gore plays, he will finish behind only Emmitt Smith and Walter Payton in career rushing yards.

The Jets will turn to the duo of Ty Johnson and Josh Adams to lead a depleted backfield in Week 17 with Gore and rookie running back La’Mical Perine sidelined. Perine became the first Jets player to test positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday and will thus miss this Sunday’s game.

Gore finishes what will likely be his only season in New York with 187 carries for a team-leading 653 yards and two touchdowns — good for an underwhelming 3.5 yards per carry.

The NY Jets will also experience an offensive line shakeup on Sunday

The Jets will also have to restructure their offensive line a little on Sunday with Andrews out. Andrews left in the second half with a thigh injury after playing 43 offensive snaps.

The 29-year-old veteran was signed by the Jets in the offseason after spending time with both the Philadelphia Eagles and Indianapolis Colts. Andrews played in all 15 games prior to his injury making four starts at guard in place of the likes of Greg Van Roten and Alex Lewis.

Fortunately, Van Roten and Lewis were designated to return to practice this week after both had missed the past three weeks. There’s a chance that both players will be activated to the 53-man roster prior to Sunday’s game.

If that’s the case, then Andrews’ absence won’t be a big loss. But if both Van Roten and Lewis can’t play, the Jets might be forced to rely on rookie fourth-round pick Cameron Clark to start opposite Pat Elflein.

Either way, both Gore and Andrews’ seasons are officially over.