The New York Jets were down to their third-string quarterback by the end of the first quarter on Thursday night with Zach Wilson out with a knee injury and Mike White knocked out of the game due to a strained forearm.
While Josh Johnson played fairly well in the relief effort for the Jets, the team could see the return of both White and Wilson to practice next week. Head coach Robert Saleh said that White’s injury caused him problems with gripping the ball but that the expectation is he should be able to practice next week after the extended weekend.
“Couldn’t grip the ball,” Saleh told reporters after the game. “I think his feeling came back later in the game in the fourth quarter. Obviously by then it was too late.
“It would have been too late to get him back in. We feel good about him getting healthy over the weekend and being ready for next week.”
Meanwhile, Wilson did some pregame work as he looks to return to action from a PCL sprain in his knee.
“He’s progressing exactly like we thought,” Saleh said of Wilson. “There’s hope that, like I said it’s the same thing, at the very least practice next week. We’ll see how he progresses over the weekend and see if it’s an option to get him on the field.”
If both players can return to practice the Jets will suddenly have a glut of quarterbacks on the roster. Joe Flacco, whom the team acquired in a trade from the Philadelphia Eagles after Wilson’s injury, was inactive for Thursday night’s game.
The Jets will face the Buffalo Bills next week after their extended weekend ahead.