Less than two weeks into training camp, four of the New York Jets’ eight rookies have already sustained injuries.

The most serious of them all, though, appears to be the bone bruise that seventh-round rookie safety VJ Payne suffered during Saturday’s practice. According to head coach Aaron Glenn, he is slated to miss 3-4 weeks.

Promising summers are always important for seventh-round rookies. To boot, the Jets already have a highly competitive safety room, with Dane Belton, Malachi Moore, Andre Cisco, and Minkah Fitzpatrick seemingly roster locks.

Now, by sustaining a bone bruise, Payne will miss valuable time to prove himself before the regular season.

Could this potentially force the Jets to omit him from their 53-man roster?

Is Payne really a lock?

The Jets have cut seventh-round rookies on cutdown day before — even seventh-round safeties.

Think back to 2023 when the team moved on from Alabama’s Jaylen Key on cutdown day, who was New York’s seventh-round selection in April of that year.

This year feels different, though. It would be surprising if the organization moved on from Payne before the season began — at least in an outright fashion.

Back in 2023, not only did the Jets have a different regime in place, but the roster timeline was very different. With Aaron Rodgers at the helm, that was a squad looking to win a Super Bowl.

Not that the Jets in 2026 — like every other team in the league — don’t have that goal, but the roster structure and timelines stand in stark contrast.

Rookie roster games

There are a few ways the Jets can keep Payne in the fold despite his injury.

The first option is the most straightforward: New York carries five safeties, more than expected, to accommodate the seventh-round rookie.

The second route is a little more intriguing. If he suffers a setback with the bone bruise, the Jets can place him on short-term injured reserve to begin the season.

This would save them a roster spot and delay a decision on his status until Week 4 of the regular season.

Gang Green took that approach last year with UDFA linebacker Ja’Markis Weston, who was a roster bubble player after a strong preseason but sustained a groin injury.

The lowdown

Payne is undoubtedly missing valuable time. There is no better time of year than the summer to win over the coaching staff as a Day 3 rookie to carve out an immediate role wherever that may be.

However, I’d still be surprised to see the organization move off of one of their draft picks before he even takes a snap in the green and white.

Payne is still a player who possesses long-term upside as a heavy hitter and can play a role right away on special teams.

The Kansas product posted an overall grade of 73.3 per Pro Football Focus. He also excelled in coverage, holding opposing quarterbacks to just a 57.4 passer rating on throws in his direction.

At 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, he also has the capability of moving down to the box and playing strong safety.

While the injury could potentially complicate VJ Payne’s path to the 53-man roster, it shouldn’t end it. At the very least, however, the fact that it’s become a logical question is noteworthy.