Jets

Jets Fine G Kelechi Osemele For Conduct Detrimental To Team After He Misses Practice

October 19, 2019

Connor Hughes of The Athletic reports that the Jets fined G Kelechi Osemele an undisclosed amount of money after he missed Saturday’s practice. The fine levied by the Jets is for conduct detrimental to the team.

Manish Mehta reports that Osemele will now file a grievance against the Jets.

This comes after the reports from Friday mentioned that the Jets and Osemele were at odds over whether or not he should undergo shoulder surgery.

Hughes reported yesterday that the injury is a pre-existing one from Osemele’s time with the Raiders before joining the Jets. He adds two separate doctors have cleared Osemele to play but the veteran believes he needs surgery.
Hughes mentions that the Jets plan to fine Osemele for conduct detrimental to the team if he doesn’t practice Saturday.
A source tells Adam Lefkoe of B/R that the Jets have been attempting to delay Osemele’s surgery by sending blank and incorrect MRI images to doctors, even going as far as refusing to release workers comp forms.

“It’s been killing me,” Osemele told reporters, via ESPN.com. “I’m just trying to get this done. I’ve done everything I can. I’ve been at work every day, waking up at 5 in the morning, doing all the rehab and the treatments and stuff like that. I’m like the last dude out of here at night. I’m doing everything I can.

“I’m working with my agent. We’re communicating with the team. There’s just not communication between the team and my doctor and my agent. It’s just been butting heads for whatever reason. Hopefully, it gets resolved soon.”

Earlier in the week, Ian Rapoport of NFL Media reported that Osemele was set to have surgery to repair his shoulder.

Osemele has come up as a potential trade candidate for the Jets if healthy, but it’s safe to say that won’t be happening now.

Osemele, 30, is a former second-round pick of the Ravens back in 2012. He played out his rookie contract with the Ravens before signing a five year, $58.5 million contract with the Raiders back in 2016.

The Raiders traded Osemele to the Jets this offseason for a fifth-round pick. He stands to make base salaries of $9.7 million and $11.2 million over the next two years of the agreement.

In 2019, Osemele has appeared in three games for the Jets, making three starts.