Jets starting quarterback Zach Wilson will miss at least three games to start the season as he continues to rehab from injury — leaving Joe Falcco as under center for Gang Green’s opening trio of contests, according to head coach Robert Saleh.
“The earliest he is going to be available is [against] Pittsburgh,” Saleh said, referring to their Week 4 game against the Steelers. “That’s just from everything we’ve gathered over the last couple of days.”
“Can it change? Sure, I’m always going to leave that door open,” the coach added. “I’m the eternal optimist. But we are going to make sure that both mind and body are 110% and that we do right by him.”
Flacco will get the start in Week 1 against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Wilson suffered a torn meniscus and bone bruise in his right leg in preseason on Aug. 12 during the opening half of their game against the Philadelphia Eagles, and underwent successful surgery on Aug. 16.
The team held out hope that Wilson cout return in time for Week 1, but Saleh officially sidelined him on Wednesday — leaving the veteran Falcco as the starter for their Sept. 11 game, along with their matchup with the Cleveland Browns on Sept. 18 and Cincinnati Bengals on Sept. 25.
For more coverage of Zach Wilson and the Jets, head to amNY.com.
The team did not place Wilson on the Injured Reserve list so that he can continue to practice with the team during his on-the-field absence.
“He’s not quite ready. We’re rolling with Joe,” Saleh said.
Flacco will be under center on Sunday against his former team, where he spent the first 11 years of his NFL career. The 37-year-old took the Ravens to a Super Bowl victory in 2013, and was named the MVP of that game against the San Francisco 49ers.
For his career, Flacco boasts a 61.7% completion rate, and has tossed 227 touchdowns to 144 interceptions.
He joined the Jets in the offseason of 2020, before signing with the Eagles one year later. He was then subsequently traded back to the Jets in the middle of the 2021 season for a sixth-round draft pick, and re-signed this offseason obsentibly to back up Wilson.
