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Jets place Dee Milliner, Brian Winters on IR

By WTOP Staff

DENNIS WASZAK Jr.
AP Sports Writer

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — The New York Jets’ shaky secondary is in shambles. Their offensive line is down a starter, too.

Starting cornerback Dee Milliner and left guard Brian Winters were placed on season-ending injured reserve on Monday. Milliner has a torn right Achilles tendon, while Winters has a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee — and both will need surgery.

“They look like significant injuries,” coach Rex Ryan said earlier Monday. “Both those guys, it doesn’t look good.”

The Jets signed cornerback Josh Thomas to take Milliner’s spot on the roster, and they claimed offensive lineman Wesley Johnson off waivers from Pittsburgh to help fill Winters’ place.

Both Milliner and Winters were injured early in the Jets’ 31-17 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday.

Milliner was expected to be the team’s top cornerback, pairing with free-agent signing Dimitri Patterson in the secondary. But Milliner missed most of training camp and the season opener with a high ankle sprain, and sat out two games with a quadriceps injury. The team’s first-round pick last year was hurt about two minutes into Sunday’s game while playing special teams on Brandon McManus’ 37-yard field goal for Denver when he crumpled to the turf. Milliner was helped up by team trainers, but couldn’t put any weight on the leg.

He was taken to the locker room and seen leaving MetLife Stadium on a cart after the game, crutches at his side.

The Jets are now without their projected top three cornerbacks heading into training camp. Patterson was cut before the regular season after he left the team without permission and missed a preseason game. Rookie Dexter McDougle, a third-round pick, was also lost for the season after he tore his anterior cruciate ligament during camp.

The Jets have been forced into using converted safety Antonio Allen, career backup Darrin Walls and late-summer signing Phillip Adams as starters at cornerback this season.

Thomas, out of the University at Buffalo, was a fifth-round pick of Dallas in 2011. He has also spent time with Carolina and was with Seattle earlier this season.

Winters, a third-round pick last year, was replaced Sunday by Oday Aboushi late in the third quarter after T.J. Graham made an 11-yard catch for a first down for the Jets. Winters started the final 12 games of his rookie season, and was a starter for the first six games this year.

Aboushi, selected in the fifth round a year ago out of Virginia, switched from offensive tackle to guard in the offseason.

Johnson was a fifth-round selection by the Steelers in May out of Vanderbilt. He was waived by Pittsburgh last Saturday.

Backup wide receiver Greg Salas injured a wrist and ankle — both on the same play, Ryan said — and his status is uncertain. Rookie linebacker Trevor Reilly also injured a knee and didn’t return to the game Sunday.

___

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Copyright 2014 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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