Former Patriots draft pick carted off at Jets practice amidst push for starting job

A strong training camp for Byron Cowart may have been derailed on Tuesday morning.

The former Patriots defensive tackle had been playing his way up New York’s depth chart, but was carted off the field, according to Jets reporters on the scene. There was no immediate update on his injury or condition.

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Cowart, 29, was a Patriots fifth-round pick in 2019, appearing in 19 games and making 14 starts with New England. After being waived in 2022, Cowart bounced around the league, with stops in Indianapolis, Kansas City, Houston, Miami, and Chicago.

The interior defensive lineman began to build momentum with the Bears last season, recording 2.5 sacks, 4 QB hits, and 5 tackles for a loss — all career highs — in 15 games, and that was carrying into Jets camp. Last week ESPN’s Rich Cimini projected Cowart as a starter on New York’s stout defense.

“Defensive tackle Byron Cowart, having a solid camp, is trending toward a starting job,” Cimini wrote. “He made a nice play, batting down a Justin Fields pass at the line of scrimmage. A self-proclaimed journeyman, Cowart, 29, is coming off his best season (Chicago Bears) and hopes to play well enough to be more than a one-and-done. He projects as a first- and second-down player.”

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