Jets' preseason star dealt horrible injury news that hurts 53-man roster chances

Perhaps no New York Jets player improved their stock within the organization after their first preseason game quite like undrafted cornerback Mory Bamba. The BYU alum was so dominant in his first game that head coach Aaron Glenn nicknamed him "Bamba Island." It took all of one week for that hype to fizzle out.

Just a few days after No. 38 recorded multiple impressive pass breakups in the Jets' preseason loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the team confirmed that Bamba is going to miss a few weeks with a knee injury. Talk about losing momentum. Bamba went from the talk of the town to the ranks of the injured in just a few days.

Bamba was always a long shot to make the Jets' roster, but standout performances like the one he authored against Tampa Bay should be more than enough to get the wheels turning. This injury, and the severity it brings, could not have come at a worse time.

New York Jets preseason star Mory Bamba out for weeks with knee injury

It is quite easy to see why Bamba went undrafted. He started just eight games in his college career and never recorded an interception, all while showing some very raw technique. Bamba does have sub-4.3 40-yard dash speed in a 6-2 frame, so he possesses everything Glenn could want physically.

Bamba could have had an avenue to a 53-man roster spot had he not gotten hurt. Qwan'tez Stiggers is recovering from a concerning injury, and with D'Angelo Ponds also working his way back from an ailment of his own, bringing in someone with his potential as both an outside corner and gunner could be the secret ingredient this secondary needed to take off.

If the Jets really want to, they could stash him on injured reserve. This would end his 2026 season, and it would set him up for next year as a 26-year-old pseudo-rookie trying to make what could be an even deeper cornerback room. Bamba was not going to be a starter in 2026, but this is still a crushing blow.

While the Jets could decide to keep Bamba around if they were that impressed by him, that could entail placing a good deal of faith in someone who was signed off the UDFA scrap heap just a few months ago. Quite simply, this is everything Bamba and those fans he converted into supporters wanted to avoid.

Add us as a preferred source on Google

Follow