#Alex Lewis’ odd Jets absence comes as George Fant rejoins active roster

The Jets added an offensive lineman to the active roster on Friday and removed one.

Tackle George Fant was activated off of the Reserve/COVID-19 list, where he has been for all of training camp. The Jets also were given a roster exemption for guard Alex Lewis with a designation of “left squad.”

The Lewis situation is a mystery. He left practice Thursday with what head coach Robert Saleh described as a head injury. But a “left squad” designation could mean he is contemplating retirement. The Jets did not have media access Friday and did not comment on Lewis’ situation.

Lewis has had a tumultuous past year with the Jets. He clashed with coaches and teammates last season, questioning their desire to win. The team placed him on the non-football injury list and allowed him to seek medical help for what they called a non-football issue.

Sources said at the time that Lewis was not handling the Jets’ struggles well and lashed out at teammates and coaches, stating he did not want to be with the team any longer. Lewis returned to practice in Week 17 but was never added to the roster. He again had an issue with teammates in practice, according to sources, and walked off the practice field.

Some people blamed former head coach Adam Gase for Lewis’ unhappiness, but sources said the issues ran deeper than that, and this absence would seem to support that.

Lewis took a pay cut this offseason to remain with the Jets, going from a $5.8 million salary to $3 million and taking off the final year of his contract to become a free agent in 2022. Lewis was behind rookie Alijah Vera-Tucker on the depth chart after starting the last two years for the Jets. He had been getting first-team reps this week with Vera-Tucker sidelined by injury.

The Jets signed LB Edmond Robinson and waived WR Matt Cole.