The NY Jets witnessed a scary incident unfold during a training camp practice in early August when offensive lineman Cameron Clark was taken away in an ambulance.
The second-year pro was injured on what would be the final play of the day during the team's first practice of training camp with pads. Clark suffered what was diagnosed as a spinal cord contusion and was ruled out for the season shortly after.
There have been few updates on Clark's status over the last few months, but head coach Robert Saleh did provide one when speaking to the media on Friday.
“He’s coming along fine,” Saleh said. “He’s got a little road to travel, but he’s coming along good.”
NY Jets offensive lineman Cameron Clark still has a long road to recovery ahead of him
While Saleh's words weren't much of an update, they did hint at the serious nature of the situation. Whenever you're dealing with a neck or spinal injury, the best approach is always to be extra cautious.
Expect the Jets to take that very approach when it comes to Clark. At this time, it's unclear when (or if) Clark will be able to return to the gridiron.
A fourth-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft, Clark didn't play a game in his rookie season. The Charlotte product missed most of the summer with a shoulder injury before returning in late August, only to injure his knee and land on the injured reserve to start the year.
Clark was activated off IR in late October of 2020 but he never appeared in a game. The hope was that he could take a big step in his development this year with a full offseason under his belt.
Unfortunately, his scary injury has put a halt to those plans. Now, the Jets are just hoping that Clark can make a full recovery.