97 Nathan Shepherd DE

Shepherd (back) is active for Monday night's matchup against the Patriots.

Shepherd was completely held out of practice Thursday while dealing with a back issue, though in retrospect, that may have been a precautionary measure given that the 27-year-old is ready for action on Monday night. With Quinnen Williams (hamstring) ruled out ahead of the Week 9 AFC East clash, Shepherd may register his first start at defensive end since 2018.

Shepherd (back) didn't suit up in Thursday's practice, Rich Cimini of ESPN reports.

The specifics of the injury remain unclear, but it's not a good sign for Shepherd's chances for Monday's game against the Patriots. If Shepherd was forced to miss game action, Bryce Huff would be in line to see in uptick in snaps for Week 9.

Shepherd (ankle) is active for Thursday's contest against the Ravens.

Shepherd has been limited in practice all week, but he will suit up for Thursday's primetime matchup. He will likely be used as a depth option along the defensive line.

Shepherd (ankle) is listed as questionable for Thursday's matchup against the Ravens, Mike Garafolo of NFL Network reports.

Shepherd popped up on the injury report as a limited participant all week, and he's one of four defensive linemen listed with injuries. If he's able to play, and either Henry Anderson (shoulder) or Quinnen Williams (neck) can't go, Shepherd likely will start at defensive end. The final verdict on their statuses will be revealed 90 minutes before the 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff.

The Jets activated Shepherd on Friday after the conclusion of his six-game suspension, Ethan Greenberg of the team's official site reports.

Shepherd is eligible to retake the field as early as Sunday's divisional tilt against the Dolphins. With Leonard Williams having been dealt to the Giants on Monday, Shepherd could conceivably play an immediate role along the Jets' defensive line.

Shepherd has been suspended for the next six games for violating the NFL policy on performance-enhancing substances.

Shepherd's suspension will begin immediately. The 25-year-old will be eligible to return to the active roster Oct. 28 and he'll be able to play Week 9.

Shepherd is facing a six-game suspension for two separate violations of the NFL's performance-enhancing drug policy, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Shepherd admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs to help recover from injuries over the offseason. While recovering from a shoulder injury, the 25-year-old underwent an MRI on his groin that revealed the need for a sports hernia procedure. After the procedure, Shepherd had a hunched posture for several weeks that eventually led to a herniated disc in his back. Pelissero reported that the league could've suspended Shepherd 14 games -- four for the first violation occurring June 27 and 10 games for the second offense July 25 -- but decided to roll the two charges into a singular six-game suspension.