L.Mauldin injury : what is Jets' plan for his absence ? ? ?

Lorenzo Mauldin injury : what is Jets' plan for his absence ?.. how might Trevor Reilly's role change ? ? ?

— We now know that Lorenzo Mauldin, the Jets' rookie outside linebacker, emerged from Sunday's season opener with a less serious injury than it initially appeared he might've sustained.

Mauldin, who was carted off the field on a backboard in the fourth quarter, ended up not having a neck injury. He did, however, sustain a concussion. He remained hospitalized overnight Sunday for further observation, after undergoing tests Sunday evening. He was released from the hospital Monday. Later Monday, Mauldin was at the Jets' facility, up and walking around. He spoke to coach Todd Bowles for a bit. But that doesn't mean Mauldin is going to be ready for Monday night's game at the Colts. It seems unlikely that he will play. Mauldin's concussion will require him to wear sunglasses, due to light sensitivity, for the immediate future. Mauldin is in the NFL's post-concussion assessment protocol. He must pass a series of tests and gradually return to practice activities before he is cleared to play again. Bowles anticipates Mauldin will be sidelined for Jets-Colts. That's a safe assumption at this point.

So what does that mean for the Jets' backup outside linebacker situation ?

How would Mauldin's absence impact Trevor Reilly, a second-year pro who is the other backup outside linebacker?

After the Jets cut veteran outside linebacker Jason Babin, they moved Mauldin to the rush linebacker spot, where Quinton Coples starts. Mauldin got a lot of work in training camp at the strong-side outside linebacker spot, where Calvin Pace starts. But Reilly is now Pace's backup, as Mauldin works behind Coples.Still, both Mauldin and Reilly can play both sides. Unless the Jets make a roster move between now and Monday, Reilly almost certainly will be the second-stringer at both outside linebacker positions against the Colts.

"Probably, yeah," Reilly said. "At least I'm — what's the word? — deducing. Deducting of logic, I guess." Normally, when Reilly plays in the Jets' base defense, he is at strong-side linebacker. But he got work at both outside linebacker spots in Sunday's win over the Browns. Reilly said that in the Jets' nickel package, he and Mauldin bookend the Jets' four-man defensive line, as edge rushers, playing the same role.

So why did the coaches decide to put Mauldin at rush linebacker (a defensive end/linebacker hybrid) once they cut Babin, and stick Reilly at strong-side linebacker (a more traditional linebacker position), behind Pace ? "In college, [Mauldin] was more of a defensive lineman," Reilly said. "When I played in college, I was a true 'sam' [strong-side] linebacker. I played what Calvin plays now. So I'm used to that."It's harder for guys to transition from d-lineman to linebacker. A lot of guys, it takes a couple years, usually. I'm not saying that he hasn't done a good job. It's just easier for him [to be Coples' backup at rush linebacker]."

Reilly played 19 of 71 snaps against the Browns, while Mauldin played 11 before getting hurt. Reilly's biggest play was a strip sack of Johnny Manziel in the fourth quarter, on the Browns' drive after Mauldin was carted off. Reilly is confident he can play both outside linebacker spots. He obviously did it as recently as Sunday, when he received a plus-0.3 grade from Pro Football Focus, which credited him with a quarterback hurry, in addition to his strip sack. On Monday, Reilly will face a tougher task against the Colts and their elite quarterback, Andrew Luck.

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