NY Jets make the right decision promoting Zach Wilson to QB2

Justin Fried

NY Jets, Zach Wilson / Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

NY Jets head coach Robert Saleh spoke to the media on Wednesday prior to practice and told reporters that quarterback Zach Wilson is set to be the primary backup behind Joe Flacco in Week 15.

Wilson has spent the last three weeks as a healthy scratch on game days following his benching after the team's 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots in Week 11.

Saleh explained that the Jets were impressed with Wilson's development in practice over the last few weeks and believed he was ready to be active on game days again. However, he did reiterate that "this is Mike White's opportunity."

While Saleh insisted that the Jets still want to see Wilson on the field at some point, it remains abundantly clear that this is White's team. If he's healthy and continues to play well, the Jets aren't going to make a switch.

NY Jets QB Zach Wilson has seemingly shown signs of progress in practice

"Zach's been doing a great job. He's been deliberate in his approach over the last three weeks. He's been holding himself accountable with regard to how he wants to attack practice.""
Robert Saleh

Whether the Jets truly believe Wilson has made significant progress or they simply saw what Flacco did this past week is unclear. Saleh called it a "coincidence" that Wilson was promoted a few days after Flacco's blunders on Sunday, but that could just be coach speak.

Either way, this is an important step for Wilson who is simply looking to salvage his Jets and NFL careers at this point. With White nursing a ribs injury, there's every chance Wilson does eventually get another opportunity to play.

At the very least, Wilson has the mobility and escapability that Flacco doesn't. That alone gives him a leg up on his competition.

In an ideal world, White stays healthy and continues to play well, and the Jets don't need to consider their backup options. But football is unpredictable — you never know when Wilson might be called into action.

The Jets have given Zach Wilson a vote of confidence. It's his first step in what could be a lengthy redemption process.

Justin Fried

Justin Fried is an editor for FanSided who has over seven years of experience covering the NFL and various other sports. A diehard Jets fan since birth, Justin has served as the editor for The Jet Press since 2019, interviewing athletes such as Sauce Gardner, Curtis Martin, LaDainian Tomlinson, Joe Klecko, and many others. Justin has also worked closely with brands like Red Bull to help highlight the niche sectors of the sporting world. His four-part series on the sport of breaking remains one of his proudest pieces of work. In his spare time, Justin is an avid pro wrestling fan who is fortunate enough to have traveled to nearly 30 different countries.