White to start for Jets vs. Bengals for injured Wilson
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. (AP) — Mike White will make his first NFL start Sunday for the New York Jets against the Cincinnati Bengals in place of the injured Zach Wilson.
White filled in for Wilson last Sunday after the rookie quarterback injured his right knee in New York’s 54-13 loss at New England. Wilson has a sprained posterior cruciate ligament and will be sidelined at least two weeks.
The Jets traded for Joe Flacco on Monday, acquiring the 36-year-old veteran from Philadelphia for a conditional sixth-round draft pick.
Coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday that Flacco will not join his new team on the practice field until Friday because of personal reasons, but is participating in remote meetings.
Saleh initially said 35-year-old backup Josh Johnson will be promoted from the practice squad and be the backup to White against the Bengals with Flacco “more than likely” to be inactive. The coach later backtracked, saying the Jets will see how Flacco looks during practice Friday. New York usually makes just two quarterbacks active for games.
White is in his fourth NFL season, but hadn’t thrown a pass in a regular-season game before last Sunday when he went 20 of 32 for 202 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions against the Patriots.
He was drafted by Dallas in the fifth round in 2018 out of Western Kentucky, and waived during final cuts the following summer. The Jets signed him to their practice squad last year, when he served as a backup to Sam Darnold.
Wilson was injured in the second quarter last Sunday when he was hit by Patriots linebacker Matt Judon, who fell on the back of the quarterback’s legs after he threw an incomplete pass. An MRI on Monday revealed the sprained PCL, which will sideline him for at least Sunday’s game and next Thursday’s game at Indianapolis.
Saleh said it still hasn’t been determined whether Wilson will be back after two weeks or need more time to recover and be placed on injured reserve. Saleh also didn’t commit to White starting beyond Sunday, or if Flacco would take over in Wilson’s absence.
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