3:59 pm: With Wilson expected to be out two to four weeks, many have wondered if the Jets might have to make a move at quarterback, should his knee injury end up taking longer time to heal than expected. But the Jets are counting on veteran backup quarterback Joe Flacco “to hold down the fort” until Wilson’s eventual return, according to Josina Anderson of CBS Sports.
Anderson even floated the idea that naming Flacco the Week 1 starter may be the most responsible thing to do, so Wilson and company don’t feel rushed to try to get him back on the field in time for the regular season before it is fully. cured While an announcement for Week 1 might be a little premature, those in the building know there’s no need for Wilson to return to the field.
Flacco has been with the Jets just under two years as the backup quarterback, initially behind Sam Darnold and then behind Wilson. After his first year as the Jets’ backup, he signed a one-year deal with Philadelphia to back up Jalen Hurts before being traded back to the Jets in late October of last year.
Flacco has yet to win a game with the Jets going 0-5 in his five starts. However, he has proven to be a serviceable starter during that time, throwing nine touchdowns to just three interceptions as a Jet.
The initial thought, if Wilson’s prognosis is correct, is that Flacco would only be needed for one regular season game at most, but if Wilson needs extra time to get back to 100 percent, New York has the highest confidence in the 37-year-old Flacco.
10:24 a.m.: Wilson suffered a torn meniscus, according to Brian Costello of the New York Post (on Twitter). Along with the bone bruise, Wilson is expected to be sidelined for two to four weeks. This is obviously big news for the Jets, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini tweets that the team believes their starting QB could be ready for Week 1.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter tweets that Wilson will undergo arthroscopic surgery to repair the problem. This upcoming surgery will determine whether Wilson’s return is closer to the two-week or four-week timeline, according to Schefter (on Twitter). Wilson will get more opinions to determine if he needs a knee brace, Howe tweeted.
10:07 a.m.: Wilson suffered a bone bruise and his ligaments are “in good shape,” according to The Athletic’s Jeff Howe (on Twitter). The QB must undergo further testing to determine if there was damage to his meniscus. Then we should have more clarity on a recovery schedule.
9:09: The Jets hope to dodge a major bullet with their franchise quarterback. After Zach Wilson left last night’s preseason opener with a knee problem, there were concerns the injury could end his season. Fortunately, ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes that the organization is hopeful that Wilson avoided a season-ending injury. The QB will undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of the damage to the knee.
Coach Robert Saleh said after the game that Wilson’s ACL “is supposed to be intact.” There are early signs the QB may have re-injured his PCL, according to Cimini. This would be the same PCL that forced Wilson to miss four games during his rookie campaign. Assuming the Jets’ optimism turns out to be correct, the best-case scenario, according to SNYtv’s Connor Hughes (on Twitter), would see Wilson out for just two to three weeks, while the “worst-case scenario” would see the QB out . for four to six weeks.
The non-contact injury certainly didn’t look great when it happened. Wilson suffered the injury during the Jets’ second offensive drive, with the QB’s knee appearing to “give in” before falling to the ground. Wilson was able to walk off the field under his own power, but had a noticeable limp. ProFootballNetwork.com’s Mike Kaye questions Wilson’s decision to fight for the extra yards; after passing the line of scrimmage, Wilson could have continued on his way to the sideline, but decided to cut for extra yards. He “planted his foot awkwardly”, causing the injury. Saleh seemed to agree with that sentiment, telling reporters that Wilson should have stayed out of bounds instead of trying to shake the defender (per Kaye on Twitter).
The Jets have been a bit tight since last night, but that has nothing to do with Wilson’s outlook. Rather, as Hughes points out, the staff is a little “scared” after how things turned out with offensive lineman Mekhi Becton. When the right tackle injured his knee, there was hope he wouldn’t be out for long. However, later tests showed the linebacker suffered a fractured patella and would be out for the season.
“I’m done trying to decipher the doctor’s language, so I’ll let the MRI play and find out tomorrow,” Saleh said after the game (via Kaye ).
Assuming Wilson misses at least a few weeks, the Jets can use the extra reps to determine the No. 2 QB on the depth chart. Veteran Joe Flacco seems to have a solid handle on that gig, though he didn’t leave the sidelines during last night’s contest. Mike White got an extended look in place of Wilson, with former UDFA Chris Streveler also getting some reps.