Jets Lose 366-Pound Anchor T'Vondre Sweat to Injured Reserve

The New York Jets are doing that thing again where they lose a massive human being to the injury report, officially sending defensive tackle T'Vondre Sweat to Injured Reserve.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported the move, noting the team expects their 366-pound run-stuffer back this season, hopefully sooner rather than later. But "sooner rather than later" in NFL medical speak usually means you should probably get comfortable with the backup rotation for the foreseeable future.

"Jeremy Fowler reported Sweat is 'Expected to return this season with the hope that it’s sooner than later.'"

Sweat went down with a knee injury during New York's 28-25 loss to the Miami Dolphins. When you lose a 6-foot-4 defensive tackle who eats double teams for breakfast, the math on your run defense changes immediately.

The Jets traded edge rusher Jermaine Johnson to the Tennessee Titans this offseason specifically to anchor the middle of this line with Sweat. Now, they are staring down a four-game minimum absence for a guy who already had to work his way back from a hamstring issue in training camp. It is the classic Jets experience: buy a shiny new bulldozer, immediately lose the keys.

This leaves a massive crater in the middle of the defense just in time for the Las Vegas Raiders to roll into town this Sunday. If you are looking at the rushing props for Vegas, you might want to factor in that the middle of the Jets' defensive line just got significantly lighter.

Sweat has a history of bouncing back from injuries, including an ankle issue that derailed his rookie year in Tennessee. New York desperately needs that trend to continue, because surviving the AFC without your premier run-stuffer is like trying to bail out a rowboat with a slotted spoon.