Jets safety Jim Leonhard’s “severe” shin injury proved as bad as it sounded.

Jay Glazer of FOX and Manish Mehta of the New York Daily News report that Leonhard broke his tibia and will miss the rest of the season.

A building block for the Rex Ryan Jets, Leonhard is known as the quarterback of the team’s secondary. Brodney Pool and Eric Smith will start at safety for them.

The team will also have to mix and match on punt returns without him. Jerricho Cotchery is expected to handle most duties on Monday night against the Patriots.