Rookie Jalen Saunders wasn’t eager Monday to recount the seizure he suffered earlier this month that still has the wide receiver perplexed about the cause and unwilling to drive.
A fourth-round pick from Oklahoma who could end up being Gang Green’s punt returner this season, Saunders has been cleared to play and is expected to get plenty of snaps in Thursday’s preseason finale at the Eagles.
But Saunders said doctors have warned he could still suffer more seizures like the one that resulted in him being hospitalized after a single-car accident Aug. 15 on his way to the team’s Florham Park facility.
“I’m not too sure it can’t happen again,” Saunders said. “I don’t know the causes for it, so I don’t have any straight answers to give.”
Speaking for the first time since the accident, Saunders said a battery of medical tests show him to be in good health but were inconclusive about the cause of the seizure.
Saunders described his family as “very worried” about the situation.
“Anybody that loves me should be worried,” Saunders said. “I was scared myself. It was something that was very, very scary in my life.”
Saunders said he was initially told his driving privileges were being revoked. That ban was quickly lifted, but Saunders said he hasn’t driven a car since the accident.
“It’s a scary situation,” Saunders said. “But I’m moving on from it, and I’m blessed to be alive.”
Struggling wide receiver Stephen Hill is expected to play in Thursday’s preseason finale, a sign that his roster spot is in jeopardy.
Hill, a former second-round pick who has yet to pan out, was excused from practice Monday after vomiting on the field early in the workout.
Asked if Hill’s roster spot was in danger, coach Rex Ryan said: “There is still competition for roster spots.”
Ryan remains undaunted by the Jets’ depth problems at cornerback and insisted Monday the team would be “just fine” despite injuries and a suspension that have sidelined top candidates Dee Milliner, Dimitri Patterson, Dexter McDougle and Antonio Allen.
“We’re going to confront any challenge head on,” Ryan said. “We’ll be fine. This isn’t a situation that happened in the course of a season. We’ve had time to look at different options throughout training camp, so absolutely no excuses. But I believe we’re going to be just fine.”
Just to be sure, though, Ryan won’t play possible Week 1 starters Darrin Walls and Kyle Wilson in Thursday’s preseason finale.
Ryan said Allen is recovering quickly from the concussion the cornerback suffered Friday and appeared optimistic Allen would be ready for Week 1.
“He’s doing well in [in the NFL’s concussion protocol] and seems to be coming along just fine,” Ryan said. “Our guys seem to be pretty confident he’s headed in that direction [of being cleared].”
Milliner still can’t sprint on his high ankle sprain but Ryan continues to target a Week 1 return a realistic for the cornerback.
“I’m hopeful he’ll be ready, but to say that’s a 100 percent guarantee is not true,” Ryan said. “He’s doing everything he can — and probably more than he wants — to try to get back and be ready for that game. He’s definitely not sprinting right now, but you can get well in a hurry.”