The Jets might have bumbled their way into a dreaded "quarterback controversy," in a way that only they could.
Make no mistake, there is no controversy: Zach Wilson is the team's quarterback of the future.
But, whether that means he will start as soon as his ailing knee allows him, is another matter.
That's because journeyman backup Mike White had an historic debut start against the Bengals in Week 8.
Though White didn't play perfectly, and he's unlikely to maintain that level of play on a weekly basis, his performance suggests he might be capable of starting for at least the short term -- which is something the Jets could use given the performance of the offense under Wilson.
Head coach Robert Saleh has downplayed the budding non-controversy so far, declining to confirm if White would have a shot at starting if he's still playing well when the official starter, Wilson, returns, which could be as soon as Week 10.
The Jets have moved as if Wilson would return -- as starter -- on the shorter end of his initial 2-4 week timetable. They decided against placing him on short-term injured reserve, and have now reportedly hired Wilson's personal QB coach, John Beck, to the coaching staff, an unusual move that suggests they're committed to Wilson once he's ready.
But the Jets should be in no hurry to rush Wilson back.
Though player development is rarely linear, the rookie proved before his injury that he wasn't yet ready to play in the NFL. The chances are remote that he's figured it out while injured and not practicing, regardless of Beck's presence.
That's not a knock on Wilson, and it's not necessarily an indictment of his long-term outlook. Long is the list of star quarterbacks who wore a baseball cap and held a clipboard before their careers took off.
But, alarmingly, the Jets' failed to respond sooner to Wilson's struggles -- at risk of crushing his confidence, and potentially losing credibility with a locker room that might now be wondering why a flailing rookie was routinely forced into the starting lineup over a veteran player who is clearly more capable at this juncture.
It's hard not to root for White, an unheralded player who's stuck it out on the scout team and exceeded expectations when finally given his chance.
If White is in fact a useful player, it was criminal for the Jets not to have recognized this sooner and given him a chance to play. Doing so would have mercifully given Wilson the chance to learn the professional game as a backup, which he clearly needs.
Again, there's no shame in this. Wilson's struggles have been hard to watch, but he hasn't been alone in that regard among his fellow rookie quarterbacks.
Only Mac Jones of the Patriots has played competently on a consistent basis among the crop of first-year signal callers, but he's been far from exceptional relative to the whole league.
Trevor Lawrence has had his ups and downs, while Trey Lance and Justin Fields, who had a breakout game in Week 8, have mostly struggled with both ineffectiveness and injury.
Yet, the Jets seemed to be locked in on Wilson curiously early in the draft process, and they were equally insistent that he would be the starter on Day 1 despite his widely reported struggles in training camp.
The Jets' confidence in Wilson has undoubtedly been unflinching, but the early results suggest this was unfounded and potentially damaging.
Saleh has previously dismissed concerns about whether allowing Wilson to struggle would hurt his long-term development, citing the QB's uncanny confidence in himself.
Still, it can't have done Wilson's confidence much good to see the previously moribund offense come to life behind an obscure journeyman.
Following White's unforeseen breakout, Saleh indicated Wilson's injury would be treated "day-to-day" once he resumes practicing.
But the Jets shouldn't hesitate to give Wilson some extra time on the sidelines once he's back, especially if White, or even recently acquired veteran Joe Flacco, is playing well.
No one expects the Jets to compete for the playoffs under White or Flacco, but that's not the point. There are costs to playing Wilson when he's not ready -- including the risk of injury, which unfortunately has already come to pass.
Saleh can build for Year 2 with a better second half, which suddenly seemed plausible after a big win over the Bengals. But first he'll have to sort through one of his first tricky situations as Jets coach.
As WFAN's Boomer Esiason noted on Tuesday, Saleh's response seemed to indicate there could be a schism within the Jets organization over how to best proceed at the quarterback position.
Unfortunately, it's a dilemma of their own making.
In week 9, Gang Green was set to take on the Colts on Thursday Night Football.
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