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Marcus Maye has already experienced enough injuries in a contract year to affect his impending free agency. Now the New York Jets' most experienced player in the secondary may be lost for the season.

Maye suffered a noncontact Achilles tendon injury in Thursday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts, an injury that didn't need to happen with free agency looming this offseason. The injury isn't officially season ending, but Jets head coach Robert Saleh admitted it's not looking good. 

"You look at that secondary, he's the vet," Saleh said. "You got a lot of second-year rookie players and a lot of second year and first-year players on that back end and Marcus was kind of that setting force back there. Obviously a heck of a football player.

"Again I'm more concerned for Marcus and what we'll do defensively to try to fill that void. He's a fantastic young man and he's done everything we've asked him to do. I'm sick for him." 

Maye is playing on the franchise tag by the Jets, so they can not reach an extension with him until after the season. An ankle injury in September led Maye's agent to hint his client wanted to be traded, but Maye debunked that statement and wanted to stay with the Jets this year. Maye is also facing three misdemeanor charges in Florida from a DUI arrest/car accident in February, which could lead to a possible suspension by the NFL. 

Maye missed two games with the ankle injury and has 40 tackles, a sack, and two passes defensed this year. Opposing quarterbacks targeting Maye have completed 68.8% of their passes for a 132.3 passer rating this year. 

The 2021 season hasn't gone the way Maye wanted, with this Achilles injury being the icing on the cake.