Following Sunday’s overtime loss to the Green Bay Packers, the New York Jets have placed WR Arian Smith, DT David Onyemata, and LB Marcelino McCrary-Ball on injured reserve, per ESPN’s Rich Cimini.

Among the three players, Onyemata is easily the Jets’ biggest loss. Onyemata was being utilized as the Jets’ top defensive tackle, leading the unit with a 70% snap count in Week 1. He exited in Week 2 with a groin injury after playing 13 snaps.

Onyemata was one of the team’s most underrated performers in the Week 1 win over Tennessee. Despite being known for his run-defending ability, he generated three pressures in Week 1, tying him for 11th among NFL defensive tackles that week.

Now, the Jets’ interior defensive line will have to operate without Onyemata for at least four games. After Onyemata’s exit in Week 2, Jowon Briggs stepped up and earned a much larger role compared to Week 1, playing 35 snaps, up from 10 in the opener. While Briggs doesn’t offer as much against the run, he is the Jets’ top pass-rushing DT.

It will be up to T’Vondre Sweat, Harrison Phillips, and fourth-round rookie Darrell Jackson Jr. to pick up the run-defense void left by Onyemata’s injury. The good news is that Sweat and Phillips each finished in the top eight of Pro Football Focus‘ run-defense grade last season.

Smith suffered a knee injury on Sunday, according to Cimini. After a rough summer, the 2025 fourth-round pick has struggled through two games. In Week 1, he dropped his lone target, and in Week 2, he missed the first tackle attempt on Skyy Moore’s game-changing 63-yard fourth-quarter punt return against the Green Bay Packers.

The more interesting element of Smith going to IR is that the Jets now have just three healthy WRs on their 53-man roster (Garrett Wilson, Adonai Mitchell, and Isaiah Williams). Veterans Sterling Shepard and Tyler Johnson are on the practice squad, and it would be stunning not to see at least one of them elevated ahead of Week 3.

McCrary-Ball has been one of the Jets’ top special teams contributors. Following a solid year in that phase during the 2025 season, he currently ranks second on the Jets in PFF’s special teams grade (76.5) through two games. He forced a fumble on a kick return in Week 1.