DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer
CORTLAND, N.Y. (AP) — The New York Jets’ top two draft picks are a bit banged up.
Safety Calvin Pryor was diagnosed with a concussion Sunday, and tight end Jace Amaro was sidelined in the middle of practice at training camp after tweaking his right knee.
Coach Rex Ryan clarified that Pryor was injured while covering a kickoff — not a punt return, as he originally thought — during full-contact drills Saturday when the returner was knocked into him. Pryor, the team’s first-round draft pick, was not with the team at practice and will be sidelined while he goes through the NFL’s protocol for head injuries before being cleared to return.
“It’s one of those things,” Ryan said. “One of those heavyweights hit you in the chin, the lights go out, I guess.”
The hard-hitting Pryor, the No. 18 overall pick and a likely starter, posted on Twitter late Saturday night: “I’m fine everyone … no worries.”
Amaro said his knee buckled a bit late in practice, but added that he should be fine by the time the Jets next take the practice field on Tuesday. The second-round pick said a tendon in the knee has been nagging at him throughout the offseason. Ryan referred to it as tendinitis.
“I don’t think there’s anything to worry about,” Amaro said.
Amaro had his knee iced after the injury, but the wrap was off by the time he addressed reporters after practice. He acknowledged that he at first feared the worst, thinking back to when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee a few years ago.
“It felt like something was wrong,” he said. “It was a similar pain, but it didn’t hurt as bad. Once I started walking on it, it felt OK.”
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