Jets rookie Olu Fashanu is out for the season with a foot injury

One of the brightest lights of this miserable Jets season has been dimmed for the final two games.

Rookie left tackle Olu Fashanu will be placed on injured reserve because of plantar fasciitis in his left foot, ending his promising season, according to Jets interim coach Jeff Ulbrich.

“It’s unfortunate,” Ulbrich said. “He’s having a great rookie season. But at the same time, sometimes these injuries give you an opportunity to step back and really take in some of the information, like you’ve been thrown into the fire, so to speak. And he will use it as an opportunity to grow, I know that.”

The 22-year-old Fashanu, who the Jets selected with the No. 11 overall pick in the first round out of Penn State, has had a great rookie season since taking over the starting role for veteran Tyron Smith after he suffered a neck injury in November.

Although Max Mitchell replaced Fashanu after he was injured in last Sunday’s home loss to the Rams, Ulbrich said Mitchell and Carter Warren “will go head-to-head this week” to see who starts against the Bills.

Fashanu appeared in 15 games this season and started seven times at left tackle.

After beginning the season in a utility role, he took over for Smith during a November 10 game against the Cardinals. According to Pro Football Focus, he allowed 12 pressures and one sack in 230 pass-blocking snaps.

Ulbrich raved about Fashanu after the Rams game, saying, “I absolutely believe that Olu is the left tackle for the New York Jets for a long, long time.” For a rookie to come in like that and play like that is amazing. You don’t see it very often.

“People throw this around way too much, but he’s a 10-year-old guy. He has everything. He has the mental (and) emotional equipment as well as the physical tools. I’m excited about his future.”

In other injury news, Ulbrich said it is “too early to say anything at this time about the status of QB Aaron Rodgers (knee), DT Quinnen Williams (hamstring) and CB Sauce Gardner (hamstring) for Sunday’s game in Buffalo.”

“We hope they all play,” Ulbrich said.

The Jets conducted a walk-through practice on Tuesday.

When asked what Rodgers’ playing status is for Buffalo, Ulbrich said: “If I’m a betting man, I’m betting on Aaron Rodgers to play. He does whatever it takes to get on the field on Sundays and I expect he will try to do the same this week.”

The Jets’ kicking situation is up in the air. Does this sound familiar?

After Anders Carlsson missed an extra point and a field goal in a 19-9 loss to the Rams, the Jets signed Greg Joseph to the practice squad.

Joseph is the fourth kicker the Jets have used this season after Greg Zuerlein struggled and was placed on IR with a left knee injury.

Since then, Riley Patterson, Spencer Shrader and Carlson have stepped in. When Joseph kicks on Sunday, he will be the fifth kicker they have used this season.

“We’ll pit these guys against each other over the course of the week and see how it goes to put the best one out there,” Ulbrich said.

He said removing Zuerlein from IR was “absolutely part of the conversation.”

When asked if Zürlein was healthy enough to kick again, Ulbrich said: “We’ll see how he feels and if he feels ready and feels good, then we’ll open his (training) window.” “