The Sports Xchange

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The New York Jets may have a thinner secondary than usual on Sunday.

Cornerback Marcus Williams (hamstring) and safety Jaiquawn Jarrett (knee) did not practice on Wednesday. Williams was injured during practice Monday when the Jets returned to work following their bye week. It is unknown when Jarrett was hurt, as he wasn’t listed among the Jets’ injured players following their win over the Dolphins in London on Oct. 4.

Williams and Jarrett are backups, but both have proven to be valuable players under a pair of regimes. Williams emerged as a starter in the Jets’ tattered secondary last season and picked off a pass while playing in place of injured cornerback Antonio Cromartie against the Browns in the season opener Sept. 13. Jarrett, meanwhile, was named the AFC Defensive Player of the Week after he picked off two passes, recovered a fumble, recorded a sack and collected 10 tackles in a 20-13 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers last Nov. 9.

–If the Jets thought head coach Todd Bowles was going to forget their penalty-ridden performance against the Dolphins during the subsequent bye week, well, think again.

The Jets were flagged 14 times for 163 yards — the latter figure the second-highest in team history — in their 27-14 win. They had 18 penalties in their first three games, which is still more than Bowles would prefer. During training camp, he made the Jets run gassers if there were more than five penalties committed during a practice. That rule was instituted after a 17-penalty performance against the Atlanta Falcons in the second preseason game.

“We have some things that we’re talking about that we’re going to address,” Bowles said Monday.

–Running back Stevan Ridley (knee) may not be ready to practice when first eligible the week of Oct. 26. Ridley opened the season on the physically unable to perform list, which meant he could not practice with the Jets until after the team’s sixth game. But the Newark Star-Ledger reported last weekend that Ridley, who tore his ACL and MCL last Oct. 12 while playing for the Patriots, didn’t appear close to being “game-ready.” Head coach Todd Bowles spoke optimistically of Ridley’s progress on Monday. Ridley signed a one-year deal worth $1.25 million in April.