Jets coach on Week 1: If Wilson ready, he'll play

[92ShaunEllis92]

Jets coach on Week 1: If Wilson ready, he'll play

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. -- Even though all signs point to Joe Flacco as the New York Jets' season-opening quarterback, coach Robert Saleh refused to rule out Zach Wilson, who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery on Tuesday in Los Angeles.

"I don't know if I have an opinion on that one," Saleh said Thursday, commenting on whether he expects to start Flacco against the Baltimore Ravens in the opener -- his first public remarks since Wilson's procedure. "If Zach is ready to play, he's going to be the Week 1 starter. If he's not, Joe will. That's no secret.

"We're going to take it by how Zach looks, how he feels, how he moves, what the doctors tell us. Whenever that moment is, he'll step on the field."

Wilson flew back from Los Angeles on Wednesday night and was back at the team facility by Thursday morning. He's "already walking" and looking forward to beginning his rehab, according to Saleh.

The calendar is working against Wilson, who tore his meniscus and suffered a bone bruise last Friday night in a preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles. The Jets open the season in 24 days against the Baltimore Ravens. The initial timetable was two to four weeks, and there was no additional damage discovered in the arthroscopy, sources said.

But the Jets are planning to be cautious with their second-year quarterback, who got three weeks of practice last season before returning to the lineup after spraining his PCL in the same knee -- and that was a non-surgical injury.

"We're going to do right by him in terms of making sure he's 100% healthy," Saleh said.

Even though Wilson avoided a season-ending injury, the time lost will be a setback. He will miss preseason games against the Atlanta Falcons and New York Giants, plus joint practices against those teams.

Wilson, 23, the No. 2 overall pick in 2021, is an inexperienced quarterback who needs as many practice reps as possible. He struggled last season, losing 10 of 13 starts and throwing only nine touchdown passes with 11 interceptions.

"If you want to get good at football, you have to play football. You have to practice football," offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. "That can't happen for him, obviously. So he's going to go and he's going to attack it the best way he knows how. He went through this last year, unfortunately. He knows what to do, what to watch, what to say and what to do in the meetings. He's going to make the most of the situation, just like we all will.

"The show goes on, right?"

In Flacco, 37, the Jets have a 14-year veteran and former Super Bowl MVP for the Ravens. But Flacco has struggled in recent years, having lost 14 of his last 16 starts. Next on the depth chart is Mike White (three career starts).

[92ShaunEllis92]

They’re going to rush him back too soon. I don’t trust this CS or the Medical team AT ALL!!!

[More Cowbell]

It's  really getting to the point you can't  believe anything he says.  It was reported last that this is a 4 to 6 week time table. Why would you bring him back early. 

[CanadienJetsFan]

Perfect reply.

of course he’s the week 1 starter IF he’s 100% healthy.

No QB controversy here.

[Rob Moore]

29 minutes ago, More Cowbell said:

It's  really getting to the point you can't  believe anything he says.  It was reported last that this is a 4 to 6 week time table. Why would you bring him back early. 

Unless I missed something, which is possible, it had universally been reported as a 2-4 week injury.

I’m not seeing anything to read into here….if our starter is recovered he starts, if not the backup plays.

This new trend to hate all things Saleh says and always thinking there’s some veiled agenda behind all his words is annoying.  Hopefully it passes soon and you guys can move onto obsessively hating something else about the team.

[FidelioJet]

It's quite reasonable he starts week 1.  

2-4 week injury....It was just over 4 weeks after the injury...

I would think it's reasonable to think a 22 year old would be ready in the median of the timetable (3 weeks)

That would have him in practice the week before Balt, giving him that week to prep for the game.  

[oatmeal]

17 minutes ago, Rob Moore said:

Unless I missed something, which is possible, it had universally been reported as a 2-4 week injury.

I’m not seeing anything to read into here….if our starter is recovered he starts, if not the backup plays.

This new trend to hate all things Saleh says and always thinking there’s some veiled agenda behind all his words is annoying.  Hopefully it passes soon and you guys can move onto obsessively hating something else about the team.

Yes because my mom always told me to trust proven liars

[slimjasi]

If the starter is healthy enough to play, he'll play. 

More at 11!

[Barry McCockinner]

hopefully they hold their cards close to the vest as long as possible and make the Ravens spend time preparing for 2 completely different style qb's.

[maury77]

I realize I'm parsing words, but Saleh said if Wilson's "ready" he will play, not if he is "healthy". They could say he was physically ready to play, but they wanted him to get more reps in practice because he missed a few weeks, etc. 

[peebag]

Ladies and Gentlemen, Mr. Tom T. Hall

 

[Jet25]

We know that Zach Wilson will not be ready. If ZW returns and gets injured again, we'll be moving on from him after this season so they're not going to rush him back by at least week 3-4

[BigRy56]

Makes sense and seems like what any coach would say about their starting QB

[Joe W. Namath]

Id be shocked if he is not out there week 1.  August 31st is the date.  That 10 days before the opener.  If he is on the field and ready to practice on that day, he will be in the starting lineup week 1.

This is a very minor injury and you really cant rush anyone back from it unless you are putting him in front of live bullets a week into recovery.

We are a long ways away from Sept 11th and he has plenty of time to heal.  And we all know whats really going on behind closed doors with the use of HGH for healing so have no fear jet fans.

Zach will be back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Integrity28]

Guys, try reading.

He’s preempting QB controversy, by standing by his starter… but very clearly saying if we don’t think Zach is ready, it’s Joe.

Why in the world would entertain the “What if Flacco is winning, then what” question before we’ve played a snap?

He is squashing the potential media created drama.

[y2k8]

 

It's hard to believe Saleh would start his unproven, just injured QB (who has missed weeks of practice) vs the friggin Ravens in Week 1. 

No way he's that stupid. The downside so greatly eclipses the upside, only a lunatic would court such potential ridicule.   

Flacco is getting his revenge game.

[SomebodytoAnybody47]

1 hour ago, More Cowbell said:

It's  really getting to the point you can't  believe anything he says.  It was reported last that this is a 4 to 6 week time table. Why would you bring him back early. 

They won't. He's only saying if he's ready, he will play. Pretty simple. 

[RVAJet815]

2 minutes ago, Integrity28 said:

Guys, try reading.

He’s preempting QB controversy, by standing by his starter… but very clearly saying if we don’t think Zach is ready, it’s Joe.

Why in the world would entertain the “What if Flacco is winning, then what” question before we’ve played a snap?

He is squashing the potential media created drama.

This. No need to add drama where there shouldn’t be drama. He’s giving his QB every opportunity to get healthy. If he needs time, he’ll get it. But he’s saying ZW is QB1 and that’s that. Pretty simple. 

[Joe W. Namath]

2 minutes ago, y2k8 said:

 

It's hard to believe Saleh would start his unproven, just injured QB (who has missed weeks of practice) vs the friggin Ravens in Week 1. 

No way he's that stupid. The downside so greatly eclipses the upside, only a lunatic would court such potential ridicule.   

Flacco is getting his revenge game.

Yes, only a crazy person would start a qb with a 2 week injury, 4 weeks later.  That is just crazy talk. 

Keep him out till November!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[slimjasi]

6 minutes ago, y2k8 said:

 

It's hard to believe Saleh would start his unproven, just injured QB (who has missed weeks of practice) vs the friggin Ravens in Week 1. 

No way he's that stupid. The downside so greatly eclipses the upside, only a lunatic would court such potential ridicule.   

Flacco is getting his revenge game.

He said “if he’s ready” 

I take that to mean a) he’s completely healthy, b) he’s had a full week of practice. 

[More Cowbell]

1 hour ago, Rob Moore said:

Unless I missed something, which is possible, it had universally been reported as a 2-4 week injury.

I’m not seeing anything to read into here….if our starter is recovered he starts, if not the backup plays.

This new trend to hate all things Saleh says and always thinking there’s some veiled agenda behind all his words is annoying.  Hopefully it passes soon and you guys can move onto obsessively hating something else about the team.

The 4 to 6 week time table was something I read here after the surgery

[nycdan]

1 hour ago, oatmeal said:

Yes because my mom always told me to trust proven liars

Just as long as she isn't telling you that Zach is just a friend.

[nycdan]

2 minutes ago, More Cowbell said:

The 4 to 6 week time table was something I read here after the surgery

Oh come on.  You read it HERE and that's what you are using as the basis of your argument?

[Spoot-Face]

[More Cowbell]

1 hour ago, nycdan said:

Oh come on.  You read it HERE and that's what you are using as the basis of your argument?

[SickJetFan]

if he is ready should he play?

[ChewyandtheJets]

I swear I’d pay $10 grand to get Salah, Lafleur, and Douglas to swear under oath who they would prefer to play between Flacco and Wilson.  No consideration of where Wilson was drafted.  No consideration for contracts, age, or anything to do with the future.  Just if you needed one game which would you play.  I’m so torn I don’t know how to feel any more.  I was upset the kid got hurt but not because it necessarily made us a worse team,  more because I wanted to find out if he was any good because I’m legitimately uncertain.  It’s an odd situation.  

[Jetsfan80]

2 minutes ago, ChewyandtheJets said:

I swear I’d pay $10 grand to get Salah, Lafleur, and Douglas to swear under oath who they would prefer to play between Flacco and Wilson.  No consideration of where Wilson was drafted.  No consideration for contracts, age, or anything to do with the future.  Just if you needed one game which would you play. 

Well that’s odd, but hey, I guess there’s worse places to hypothetically spend $10K.

[T0mShane]

You know who seems to lie a lot? Robert Saleh.

[JoeNamathsFurCoat]

The Jets are like George Costanza, always trying to do the opposite of the thing that just failed, believing that will somehow do the trick:

Fire loudmouth Rex, hire taciturn Bowles

Fire universally despised zombie bug eyes Gase, hire guy everybody loves rah rah musclebound Saleh

“Can’t draft Josh Allen because he’s too raw like Hackenberg”

“Can’t draft another QB early (Mahomes!) because we just blew #51 overall on Hackenberg.  Let’s draft a box safety instead!”

 

[Joe W. Namath]

August 31st is the date.  If Zachs back on the practice field by then, he is playing week 1.  And I have no doubt he will be.

[JetsFanatic]

13 hours ago, More Cowbell said:

It's  really getting to the point you can't  believe anything he says.  It was reported last that this is a 4 to 6 week time table. Why would you bring him back early. 

This is a 2-4 week injury. 

[JetsFanatic]

Once again some fans just love to whine. Nobody is rushing Zach back. This is a 2-4 week injury that was confirmed after the meniscus trim by the doctor in LA.

Stop creating false facts giving the impression that the coaching staff is rushing Zach back. Amazing the idiocy that sometimes pervades here.

 

[kdels62]

If he’s back and gets a week of practice before the game he should play. Get him game reps. 

If he plays against the Ravens and sucks that doesn’t really matter since he’ll start Week 2 no matter what. If he’s cautious and mentally frail and never recovers then you move on. If he gets injured then he’s too injury prone to rely on and the focus is on getting competition for him.

[Biggs]

I thought we have 3 NFL starting QB's on the roster.