More changes for the Jets’ starting offensive line. Signed out of retirement, Ryan Kalil will finish this season on IR, Adam Schefter of ESPN.com tweets.
The Jets will promote offensive lineman Leo Koloamatangi to their active roster to replace the longtime center. A knee injury will end Kalil’s season and perhaps send him back to retirement. Kalil had started seven Jets games this season, but that knee malady had kept him out since Week 8. Pro Football Focus graded Kalil as its No. 33 center (out of 34 qualified snappers) this season.
This marks more turnover for the Jets’ front. The team will start a different right guard Sunday, after Brian Winters‘ injury, and has already experienced turnover at every other spot on its line. New York had already started multiple players at left tackle, left guard and right tackle this season. Of Gang Green’s Week 11 starters, only left tackle Kelvin Beachum was present in the Week 1 lineup.
Jonotthan Harrison is next in line to start at center, as he did for much of last season with the Jets. Harrison re-signed this offseason, but after Joe Douglas took the GM reins from Mike Maccagnan, the team lured Kalil out of retirement with a one-year, $8.4MM deal. Harrison has started the past two Jets games.
Kalil, 34, started 145 games for the Panthers from 2007-18. The former second-round pick made five Pro Bowl rosters and ended two seasons as a first-team All-Pro.