Anderson even floated the idea that naming Flacco the Week 1 starter might be the most responsible thing to do so that Wilson and company don’t rush to try to get him back on the field in time for the normal period before becoming fully cured. While a Week 1 announcement might be a little premature, those in the building know there’s no rush for Wilson to get back on the field. Flacco was with the Jets for just under two years as a backup quarterback, first behind Sam Darnold and then behind Wilson. After his first year as a backup for the Jets, he signed a one-year contract 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 capable of starting during that stretch, throwing for nine touchdowns to just three interceptions as a Jet. The initial thought, if the Wilson prognosis is correct, is that Flacco would only be needed for one regular season game at most, but, if Wilson needs additional time to get back to 100%, New York has the utmost 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). Combined with the bone bruise, Wilson is expected to be sidelined for two to four weeks. This is obviously great news for the Jets, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini is tweeting 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. That upcoming surgery will determine whether Wilson’s return is closer to the two-week timeline or the four-week timeline, per 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 is going to undergo more tests to determine if there was any damage to his meniscus. At that time, we should have more clarity on the recovery timeline. 9:09 a.m.: The Jets are hoping they dodged a big bullet with their franchise quarterback. After Zach Wilson left yesterday’s preseason opener with a knee problem, there was concern that the injury could end his season. Fortunately, ESPN’s Rich Cimini writes that the organization hopes Wilson avoided a season-ending injury. The QB will undergo an MRI today to determine the extent of the knee damage. 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. That would be the same PCL that forced Wilson to miss four games during his rookie campaign. Assuming the Jets’ optimism proves correct, the best-case scenario, according to SNYtv’s Connor Hughes (on Twitter), would see Wilson sidelined for just two to three weeks, while the “worst-case scenario” would have the QB out for four to six weeks. The non-contact injury sure didn’t look great when it happened. Wilson suffered the injury on the Jets’ second drive, with the QB’s knee appearing to “buck” before he fell to the ground. Wilson was able to walk off the field under his own power, but had a noticeable limp. Mike Kaye of ProFootballNetwork.com questions Wilson’s decision to fight for extra yards. after crossing the line of scrimmage, Wilson could have continued down the sideline, but decided to cut for extra yards. “He planted his foot awkwardly,” leading to the injury. Saleh seemed to agree with that sentiment, telling reporters that Wilson should have stepped out of bounds instead of trying to shake the defender (per Kaye on Twitter). The Jets were a little tight from last night, but that has nothing to do with Wilson’s outlook. Rather, as Hughes notes, the staff is a little “terrified” of how things turned out with offensive lineman Mekhi Becton. When the right tackle suffered his knee injury, there was hope he wouldn’t miss much. However, subsequent tests indicated that the lineman suffered a fractured kneecap 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 figure it 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 appears to have a solid spot in that gig, though he didn’t leave the sideline during yesterday’s contest. Mike White got an extended look in place of Wilson, with former UDFA Chris Streveler getting some reps as well.
