With the New York Jets still alive in the playoff hunt, it will be Mike White who they will turn to try and get them there.
As for Zach Wilson, he will not even be the backup.
Head coach Robert Saleh announced on Monday that White will start the rest of the season for the Jets with Joe Flacco as the QB2 and Wilson inactive and third on the depth chart for the remaining games.
The Jets No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft was benched in the fourth quarter in last week’s loss to the Jaguars for practice squad QB Chris Streveler, who was promoted to the active roster prior to the game.
Yet, Saleh insists that the latest decision is not an indication that the franchise is giving up on Wilson.
“The plan for Zach, it hasn’t changed,” Saleh said. “I still think he’s got a future here. I still think he’s going to be a really good quarterback, he just needs time to sit back and continue the development that we’re trying to re-kickstart, if you will, after the New England game but still have him in our future and in our plans.”
Wilson was benched following a 10-3 loss to the Patriots in Week 11, in which he said after the game he did not think he let the defense down despite throwing for just 77 yards and completing nine passes.
White started the next three games and went 1-2, but the Jets were competitive in the two losses — which came against playoff-bound teams in the Vikings and Bills. White also threw for at least 250 yards in all three games, the same amount of times Wilson has all season.
Saleh was asked if White could be the franchise quarterback, but the head coach downplayed the idea.
“One day at a time,” Saleh said. “We’ve got two now, another hypothetical. One thing I think both Joe [Douglas] and I are big on is everything is always going to be evaluated after every single day, not just after every week, every season.
“We’re always going to do what’s best for the organization but there’s still a lot of information to gather.”
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