Jets Place George Fant On IR, Sign Cedric Ogbuehi Off Texans’ Practice Squad

The New York Jets have placed offensive tackle George Fant on the injured reserve list. That move will keep Fant off the Jets’ active roster until Week 8 of the 2022 NFL season at a minimum. Fant has been troubled by a knee injury which ultimately caused the Jets to remove him from last Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals. He has not looked like the same player this year after having a career year in pass protection last season. Perhaps a stint on injured reserve will serve to get whatever ails Fant’s knee right for the rest of the year once he returns to the Jets’ lineup.

With George Fant now out until at least Week 8, Mekhi Becton out for the year, and Duane Brown out until at least Week 5, the Jets are in somewhat dire straits at the offensive tackle position. The Jets signed 33 year old Mike Remmers recently to try to stabilize the position. Today the Jets signed another veteran tackle, 30 year old Cedric Ogbuehi, off of the Houston Texans’ practice squad.

Cedric Ogbuehi is a 6’ 5”, 310 pound tackle out of Texas A&M. He was originally drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals with the 21st overall pick in the 1st round of the 2015 NFL draft. Ogbuehi spent four years with the Bengals, starting 25 games for them over the course of the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Since then he has bounced around the league, with stints with Jacksonville, Seattle, Baltimore and Houston. Ogbuehi has been a backup in recent years, starting just five games since the 2017 season.

The many injuries at offensive tackle may complicate the Jets’ decision on when to bring Zach Wilson back to the starting lineup. The Jets have been clear that they will start Wilson as soon as he gets medical clearance. However, it would not be entirely surprising if that timetable becomes more, shall we say, flexible until at least one of the starting tackles returns to action. Duane Brown may return as soon as Week 5. If Brown remains on track for a Week 5 return, perhaps we will see Wilson return on the same schedule.