Rex Ryan names Geno puncher IK Enemkpali captain vs. Jets

Three months after IK Enemkpali punched Geno Smith in the New York Jets’ locker room, Buffalo Bills coach Rex Ryan confirmed Monday that he will make the current Bills and former Jets defensive end a co-captain when Ryan returns to MetLife Stadium on Thursday night. So I do, if there’s a kid that’s on our roster from [New Jersey], it’s pretty safe that he’ll be a captain also. That means going with Enemkpali, who was released by the Jets in August after breaking quarterback Geno Smith’s jaw in an altercation.

“Yeah, I’m gonna get a few good food, dude”, Ryan said last week.

In most cases, it would be a little odd to see Enemkpali, who’s played in just nine games in his entire National Football League career, to serve as a captain.

Yes, Ryan plans to send out Enemkpali – who has played 37 snaps on defense this season and isn’t a core special teamer – as one of the Bills’ captains when the teams meet Thursday night in East Rutherford, N.J.

“If IK went out there by himself, maybe that would be a different statement, but that’s not what we do”, Ryan said. Why? because the Jags employ former Bills head coach Doug Marrone after last season and opted out of his contract, which a few Bills players didn’t appreciate. “I couldn’t put them all out there”.

“We’re checking on that right now”, he said with a grin. It’s the most action he’s gotten for Buffalo — Ryan may be expanding his role. Enemkpali missed a tackle on running back Jeremy Hill that led to one touchdown in a 34-21 Cincinnati Bengals win, and had his only two tackles of the season on Sunday against Miami.