It has been a strange season for Jets cornerback Michael Carter.
The season started out with him agreeing to a three-year, $30.75 million contract extension, a validation of how the 2021 fifth-round pick had played in his first three years.
But his season has been marred by injuries that he continues to fight through.
“It’s been challenging, really,” Carter said this week.
Carter is currently dealing with a back issue that caused him to miss two games last month and had him exit early in last week’s win over the Texans.
Carter said he has a herniated disk in his back that is causing him pain.
Though he is listed as questionable, he is expected to play Sunday against the Cardinals after practicing fully Friday.
The back injury came after Carter suffered a high ankle sprain early in training camp that cost him most of camp and lingered early in the season.
“It’s been interesting, I’ll say,” Carter said. “Just trying to deal with the mental part more than the physical part, like knowing who I am and what I do when I’m healthy. Then, it just hasn’t been that way unfortunately. Adversity is part of the game and a way to grow.”
Carter said the sprain was “moderate to severe,” and required him to wear heavy tape both on his ankle and on his cleat as well as a soft cast. Since he was not resting the ankle, it was not improving once the season started, and it bothered him.
“If my ankle got caught in the ground, it was a wrap,” Carter said. “It felt like I was spraining my ankle again every time.”
Carter played through the first four games.
Then, when he was warming up in London to play the Vikings, he felt pain in his leg.
It was initially diagnosed as a hamstring problem, and he left the game after one play.
Team doctors later discovered it was a herniated disk in his back that was causing the pain in his leg.
Carter missed the next two games.
He returned against the Patriots two weeks ago but again left the game last week against the Texans with pain.
Carter now has to hope he can play through the injury.
Can his back heal while he is still playing?
“I’m not sure,” Carter said. “I would love to hope so. It is what it is. If I’m out there, I’m going to go out there and be 100 percent and do what I do. Whatever role that has to be to make sure we’re going to put the best product on the field.”
DT Solomon Thomas (knee) was downgraded to out for Sunday’s game.
Spencer Shrader was elevated from the practice squad on Saturday and he will be the team’s kicker on Sunday, as interim coach Jeff Ulbrich indicated was likely on Friday.
The Jets had three players fined for actions in the Texans game.
LB Quincy Williams was fined $11,255 for unsportsmanlike conduct (taunting).
TE Kenny Yeboah was fined $7,964 for unnecessary roughness (facemask).
WR Irv Charles was fined $5,083 for roughing the kicker.