The New York Jets were forced to place starting safety Chuck Clark onto Injured Reserve, and fellow starter Tony Adams left their Week 7 game with a hamstring issue.
Backup safety Ashtyn Davis suffered a concussion in the 37-15 loss on Sunday Night Football, leaving the Jets extremely thin at the safety position. As a result, New York signed veteran Jalen Mills off its Practice Squad and onto the 53-man roster.
Davis and Adams were both unavailable for Wednesday's practice according to interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich.
Mills, a converted cornerback, earned the start as a gameday elevation on October 20. Filling in for Clark, he played 96 percent of the defensive snaps. He accounted for eight tackles and one pass break-up in his second appearance as a Jet. Mills also faced the Buffalo Bills as a Practice Squad call-up in Week 6.
"I think Jalen Mills is a huge testament to the coaching staff, especially Marquand Manuel. To get a guy ready in two-and-a-half weeks, three weeks. He started and played every single snap. Not just played, but played at a high level in my opinion," said Ulbrich.
The 30-year-old Mills, affectionately known as the Green Goblin, entered the NFL as a Philadelphia Eagles' seventh-round draft pick in 2016. The LSU product, who played all 16 games as a rookie, made 15 regular season starts for the Super Bowl LIII champions in 2017.
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Starting training camp on the Non-Football Injury list, Mills was released by the New York Giants on August 15. The Jets signed him to a P-Squad contract three weeks into the regular season.
In 2023, Mills was active for all 17 games (8 starts) with the New England Patriots.
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