Jets glaring wide receiver weakness only growing more concerning

The Jets’ quest to establish a viable No.2 receiver behind Garrett Wilson will spill into its third week Sunday against the Buccaneers. The rest of the team’s wideouts have totaled just five receptions through the Jets’ 0-2 start.  Text with Brian Costello all season as he brings Sports+ subscribers the latest Jets intel from on the field and off.

With veteran Josh Reynolds ruled out for a second straight game with a hamstring issue, the opportunities — and the necessity — for someone else to emerge as a pass-catching alternative to Wilson for veteran quarterback Tyrod Taylor will be prominent in Tampa for players such as Tyler Johnson, Allen Lazard and rookie Arian Smith. “We got Josh down, so I’m probably going to have to play a little more to help [Wilson] and the other guys, Tyler and Lazard, and help take some stress off them,” said Smith, the Jets’ fourth-round pick out of Georgia.“I’m ready to go out there and compete and do my thing. “We know we have to make a bigger impact.

We have to help Garrett.He’s one of the best players on this team, but he’s not Superman.

He needs help and we need to take some of the stress off him.We need to step up and do better with blocking and just contribute, whether it’s run or pass.

I think we will do a better job this week and we’re excited to have another opportunity.” Smith, who grew up about 45 minutes outside of Tampa, has just one catch for eight yards on two targets through his first two NFL games.He also had an opportunity to run a reverse that got blown up in the backfield for a 10-yard loss in the first quarter in a 30-10 loss Sunday against the Bills, but the rookie said he was “excited that they called my number in that spot.” Johnson was signed to a one-year deal worth $1.17 million as a free agent after spending the past two seasons with the Rams.

But he also has contributed negligible production with two receptions on three targets in his first two appearances...