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Over the next few weeks, the Jets should be getting several starters back from injury or suspension, headlined of course by Sam Darnold. This should provide a much-needed injection of talent for a team that has mostly been over matched in losing each of their first four games.

However, while the team as a whole has been struggling, there have been some positive flashes here and there from young players who have been making the most of their opportunity for additional playing time.

While the returning players should send most of these individuals back to the bench, it would be a shame if their playing time dried up altogether. Let's explore some players who deserve to continue getting chances to contribute even as the team approaches full strength:

Jets head coach Adam Gase shares the excitement that his players have for QB Sam Darnold finally returning after battling mononucleosis. Of course, Darnold is also excited to get back on the field. 

The excitement won't last long, though, if the Jets can get something going on offense. Since Darnold's been gone, the Jets have barely been able to move the ball. 

So, while spirits are high at One Jets Drive, this group knows there's a lot of work to be done to finally chalk up that first win. 

The Jets were expecting to get another weapon back to their offense this week, but their luck continues to go sideways. 

Tight end Chris Herndon, who has been suspended the past four games due to violating the NFL's substance-abuse policy, suffered a hamstring injury, head coach Adam Gase revealed on Wednesday. His injury occurred while running routes in preparation for his return this week. 

Gase was blunt when asked about his reaction to Herndon's injury. 

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The Jets got the ball first on Sunday, but the first possession set the tone for what was to follow. Two runs went nowhere as the revamped offensive line gained no traction and rookie tight end Trevon Wesco allowed his man to make the stop each time. On third down, stand-in quarterback Luke Falk couldn't even get a throw off as veteran Brian Winters was beaten for a sack.

After the Jets punted, the Eagles marched downfield for a touchdown to take the lead, which they then doubled when Falk threw a pick-six on fourth down on the Jets' next possession. That was asclose as it got all day as the Eagles comfortably swept the injury-plagued Jets aside.

To their credit, the Jets' defense stiffened for most of the rest of the first half, but Falk's second interception set the Eagles up with good field position and they worked the two-minute drill to go up 21-0 with 34 seconds to go in the first half.

The Jets took a step in the right direction as quarterback Sam Darnold returned to practice Wednesday, but New York's injury report remained cluttered with key players on both sides.

While the Jets' starter recovers from mononucleosis with an eye on a return at some point in October as the day-to-day recovery continues, linebackers CJ Mosley (groin) and Jordan Jenkins (calf) were among those held out.

While neither Darnold nor Mosley has not played since Sept. 8's 17-16 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the season opener, Jenkins missed Sept. 22's 30-14 loss to the New England Patriots.

Other than addressing Sam Darnold's status coming out of the bye week, Jets head coach Adam Gase also discussed how two of his top defensive pieces in CJ Mosley and Quinnen Williams are doing. 

For Williams, things are definitely trending upward, according to Gase. Williams has been dealing with an ankle injury, which has hurt his time on the field early on in his rookie campaign. 

But it sounds like the No. 3 overall pick will be back on the field against the Eagles in Week 5. 

Three games have gone by for the Jets, and DE Leonard Williams has yet to record a sack. Working in defensive coordinator Gregg Williams' system was supposed to let Williams loose, and finally tap into his true first-round pick potential. 

But through those three games, the USC product has only recorded three quarterback hits and has 10 combined tackles (three solo, seven assists). That's not the start Williams wants, but his position coach in Andre Carter has some positive things to say about the veteran lineman heading into the bye week. 

"I'm proud of Leo," he told reporters Tuesday. "Leo had come in and we talked about this style of play and how he wanted to continue to get better. He's on the upside. I'm so proud of him and how he's developed his game. Granted, the sacks aren't there. If you look from overall stats, he's affected the quarterback 10 times in the past three games."

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With the Jets on their bye week, we're going to review some of the Jets players, looking in detail at their season so far and what to expect from them coming out of the bye week. We'll look at some players who've exceeded expectations and others that have been disappointing so far. We begin with a look at rookie linebacker Blake Cashman.

Expectations prior to the season

When Cashman was drafted in the fifth round back in April, the Jets still had both Darron Lee and Avery Williamson in addition to new addition CJ Mosley, so Cashman wasn't expected to have a major role on defense. Nevertheless, it seemed like a shrewd pick to draft the promising former Minnesota Golden Gopher, who had outstanding special teams production in college and the potential to be a future starter.

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The Jets are fortunate to be getting such an early bye this season, as they have a lot to work on. With a mixture of unavoidable misfortune and self-inflicted wounds, their nightmare start to the season has them at 0-3 for the first time since 2003. Here's the main things they need to do to right the ship:

Re-assimilating players returning from injury

The good news from Sunday's game was the Jets didn't have any additional injuries to key contributors. While they can't use injuries as an excuse for all their problems, some of the core players set to return after the bye should provide an instant remedy in certain areas.

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There's been nothing predictable about the Jets' season so far -- until now.

With three key defensive players out and a third-string quarterback who was on the practice squad having never played in an NFL game this time last week, the widely anticipated Patriots blowout was exactly what we saw on Sunday afternoon.

It didn't take long for any lingering hopes that the Jets might step up to make the game competitive against all odds to evaporate altogether, as Tom Brady drove the Patriots down the field for a touchdown on each of their first three drives. This gave New England a 20-point lead early in the second quarter.

Four days after the Jets fell to 0-2 on Monday's 23-3 loss to the Cleveland Browns, New York's quick turnaround for Sunday's 1 p.m. road game against the Patriots presents the latest challenge for Adam Gase.

Before Friday's practice at The Atlantic Health Jets Training Center in Florham Park, New Jersey, the first-year head coach issued several injury updates ahead of the weekend's preparation for New England (2-0).

Among the notables, the Jets remain without veteran linebacker C.J. Mosley, but rookie defensive tackle Quinnen Williams continues to progress as Week 3 approaches.

Decimated by injuries, including linebacker C.J. Mosley (strained groin) and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (sprained left ankle), the Jets trotted out a revised defense against a Browns offense littered with dangerous skill players but did not play Trumaine Johnson until the cornerback was forced into action.

While the Jets technically had an extra 24 hours to get C.J. Mosley ready to return for Monday's 8:15 p.m. matchup with the Cleveland Browns after a groin injury in the past weekend's 17-16 loss against the Buffalo Bills, the clock was ticking on the linebacker's decision, which came Saturday.

After the team took Friday off, New York resumed practice Saturday and in the afternoon ruled the linebacker -- as well as defensive tackle Quinnen Williams (sprained left ankle) -- out for Monday's game.

Mosley, who sat out the week while he worked his way back, needed to get back on the field Saturday or else he would jeopardize his status for Monday.

With a day to process Sunday's 17-16 loss against the Buffalo Bills, Jets head coach Adam Gase did not hold back when he was asked about his team's shortcomings in the season opener.

Among the players and coaches singled out by Gase, Robby Anderson shouldered part of the offense's blame after the fourth-year wide receiver recorded three receptions for 23 yards on seven targets.

Anderson came to Gase's mind after New York's first-year head coach fielded a question about the offense's ineptitude, which was highlighted by second-year quarterback Sam Darnold's lack of a deep threat.

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The first time Gregg Williams stood in front of the Jets' defense after a practice, some of his players were shell-shocked. He was loud. He was harsh. He was brutally honest.

He didn't care if any of his players were embarrassed or hurt. In fact, that was the point.

And nobody was spared.

Before C.J. Mosley signed with the Jets in the offseason, he and Jamal Adams were teammates in last year's Pro Bowl, while Mosley was still a member of the Ravens. 

It didn't take long for Mosley to take note of the standout safety out of LSU. 

"One of the first things I noticed was his voice," Mosley said of Adams. "It takes a lot when guys come to the Pro Bowl to be amped up and ready to play. I saw the competitiveness in that. 

The Jets defense will have a new look in 2019 as Gregg Williams brings his complex system to the team as their new defensive coordinator. 

While early in offseason workouts, both sides of the ball are already liking what they're seeing from the unit. 

CJ Mosley said the unit has a new "culture" to it while Avery Williamson added that it's been challenging learning the scheme, but he wouldn't have it any other way.

The New York Jets' new defensive star, C.J. Mosley, knows a thing or two about what makes a winning pedigree. The former Baltimore Raven made the playoffs twice with his old team and learned how to lead a defense from Ray Lewis and Terrell Suggs. He has already assumed a role as a vocal leader and a "culture changer" for the Jets' defense.

There's no doubt that Mosley's teammates will listen when he speaks up. That said, Mosley's latest bulletin-board statement is sure to get Gang Green's collective blood pumping.

"We know the whole NFL is sleeping on the Jets, so we're ready to prove them wrong," Mosley told NewYorkJets.com. "They always have been [doubting the team], even I was when I wasn't here."

It doesn't seem as if linebacker C.J. Mosley will be pulling an Anthony Barr.

Though the Jets have yet to officially announce the signing of Mosley -- they finally announced the Le'Veon Bell signing Thursday evening -- Mosley was at the Jets' training facility in Florham Park on Thursday as he shared a picture on his Instagram story with "New beginnings!" written on it.