Jets place wide receiver Allen Lazard on IR and promote Riley Patterson to kick against Texans

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets placed wide receiver Allen Lazard on injured reserve and signed kicker Riley Patterson from the practice squad among a flurry of roster moves a few hours before their game against the Houston Texans on Thursday night.

Defensive tackle Leki Fotu was also placed on IR, while offensive lineman Alec Lindstrom was signed to the active roster and tight end Anthony Firkser was released. Tight end Kenny Yeboah was activated from injured reserve.

Defensive backs Kendall Sheffield and Jarius Monroe were elevated from the practice squad, and defensive end Takk McKinley was signed to the practice squad.

Lazard had previously been ruled out with a chest injury suffered at Pittsburgh on Oct. 20. He's third on the Jets with 30 receptions for 412 yards and a team-leading five touchdown catches.

Patterson is kicking in place of the struggling Greg Zuerlein, who was placed on IR on Wednesday with an injured (non-kicking) left knee. Zuerlein had missed six of his 15 field goal attempts this season.

Patterson won a competition between at least a half-dozen kickers who were brought in this week by the Jets. He was in training camp this past summer with Washington and has made 59 of 67 field-goal attempts in 39 NFL games in stints with Detroit, Jacksonville and Cleveland.

New York signed Patterson and rookie Spencer Shrader to the practice squad and opted to go with Patterson as its kicker against the Texans.

Fotu missed the Jets' first five games with a hamstring injury before playing in two games and injuring a knee at Pittsburgh.

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