#Sam Darnold needs shoulder ready to absorb hits in order to play

Sam Darnold’s shoulder is feeling better, and now the question is how it will hold up when the Jets quarterback takes a hit or gets driven into the ground.

The only problem is that Darnold likely won’t know that until he actually plays in a game, but for now the Jets hope to get him back practicing Wednesday before determining his status for Sunday’s game against the Dolphins.

“For me, it’s just taking it one day at a time still,” Darnold said Monday on a conference call. “The shoulder feels good throwing and doing all the things I need to do. At this point, it’s just getting hit and how it’s going to respond that way. Throughout the week, I just gotta be careful with how it feels and what bothers it, what doesn’t. But it feels really good.

“I think I’m nearing that point to where I finally have a little bit more confidence in my shoulder to be able to withstand a hit. So that’s a good thing.”

Darnold missed his fourth game of the season Sunday, with Joe Flacco starting at quarterback in a 34-28 loss to the Chargers. The third-year pro said if he does get reinjured, “the worst-case scenario” would be missing another two to three weeks.

Six weeks remain in the season, with those games being critical to get a final evaluation on Darnold before the Jets could potentially have a decision to make if they get the No. 1 pick.

“I’d like to see him play with our starting wide receivers,” coach Adam Gase said. “That would probably be my No. 1 thing I’d love to see.”

But caution will come first.

“I wish I could tell him, ‘Hey, you won’t get hit. You won’t get driven into the turf and land on your shoulder,’ ” Gase said. “I can’t predict that. … That’s a part of the game I can’t control. If everybody feels good about, ‘If he gets hit, he’s going to be all right,’ then we’ll be good to go. If there’s any concern there, then obviously we have to look at that.”

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Rookie running back La’Mical Perine will miss time after suffering a high-ankle sprain Sunday, meaning veteran Frank Gore will continue to see plenty of snaps in the coming weeks. Ty Johnson could also get a bigger role.

Right tackle George Fant is week-to-week with knee and ankle sprains. Sunday he was replaced by Chuma Edoga, who also suffered a low-ankle sprain but could practice this week.

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The Jets made a $15,000 donation to Food Bank For New York City, providing 75,000 meals for New Yorkers in need at Thanksgiving, the team announced. The donation included a delivery of turkeys and fixings to the Community Kitchen & Pantry of West Harlem.

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The Jets released QB Mike White and restored TE Ross Travis to the practice squad from the reserve/COVID-19 list. … CB Pierre Desir, who the Jets cut last week, is expected to sign with the Ravens, NFL Network reported.