If it were a playoff game or high-stakes end-of-season game, offensive tackle Duane Brown likely would be suiting up for the Jets on Monday night against the Chargers.
“If I had to, I think [I could play],” Brown told The Post after practice on Friday. “But we’ll see. We haven’t discussed that as being the plan right now.”
Brown has been sidelined since Week 2 with a hip injury.
On Thursday, the Jets opened his 21-day practice window to be elevated from the injured list to the active roster.
Brown was a full participant in practice Thursday and Friday, though head coach Robert Saleh did not have an update on his status for Monday before Friday’s practice.
Brown finds himself in a similar situation as he was to start the season.
He underwent offseason shoulder surgery, and admittedly rushed back ahead of schedule, with barely any practice, to be the team’s starting left tackle to begin the season.
It left him with a lack of strength in that shoulder, and he struggled mightily.
He owned the worst pass-block win rate in the NFL through the first two games, and was notably beaten on the sack in which Aaron Rodgers tore his Achilles in Week 1.
Monday’s clash at MetLife Stadium is, of course, not a playoff game nor a high-stakes end-of-season game.
Brown is adamant he does not want to make the same mistake in this recovery with his hip as he did with his shoulder.
“I’ve thought about it,” Brown said. “We still have a lot of football left in the season and I want to play at a level that I’m accustomed to. I didn’t feel like I was able to do that to start the season. Definitely being smart about it and coaches being smart about it as well. But the last couple of days have been good. Physically, I feel a lot better than I did before. Just gotta knock the rust off again.”
Offensive lineman Joe Tippman, who has not played since Week 6 due to a quad injury, was a limited participant in practice for the second straight day Friday.
He participated in positional drills, though. Saleh said he’s “hopeful” Tippmann can play Monday.
Fellow offensive lineman Laken Tomlinson (hamstring) was also a limited participant for the second straight day, but he did not participate in positional drills.
Special teamer Chazz Surratt did not practice and will likely be out Monday, Saleh said.
Saleh declined to comment on the claim from Giants special teams coach Thomas McGaughey that Will McDonald was lined up illegally on Graham Gano’s missed 35-yard field goal with 24 seconds left in last Sunday’s game.
McDonald was able to leap over long-snapper Casey Kreiter and seemingly affect the kick, though he didn’t block it.
Jets special teams coach Brant Boyer also declined comment on the matter Thursday.
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