Joe Flacco likely to remain Jets’ starting QB with Zach Wilson sidelined

The Jets’ season began with a loss in which the offense delivered an underwhelming performance. As the team awaits the return of Zach Wilson, the question of who should start at quarterback in Week 2 has been raised. 

When speaking to the media Monday, head coach Robert Saleh admitted that “everything is under discussion and under review” at the position (Twitter link via Connor Hughes of SNY). However, he reiterated his confidence in Joe Flacco, who played the entirety of New York’s loss to Baltimore.

The 37-year-old’s performance in the contest – 307 yards on 37-of-59 passing, with one touchdown and one interception – has led to speculation that the Jets could turn to Mike White moving forward. Saleh said, though, “Joe has been very, very steady throughout OTAs, training camp. As of now, Joe is our starting quarterback.”

Since the midseason injury which ended his Ravens career in 2018, Flacco has made a total of 14 starts split between his time with the Broncos and Jets. He has won just two of those, both of which came in Denver. Despite the lack of success with the former Super Bowl MVP, the Jets re-signed him this offseason on a one-year, $3.5M deal. That made him the likeliest candidate to open the season, with White operating as the backup.

Wilson continues to recover from his preseason knee injury; Week 1 was initially considered a possibility, but the Jets have understandably remained cautious with last year’s No. 2 pick. No firm commitment has been made yet with respect to a Week 2 starter, but Saleh appears prepared to maintain the status quo at the position heading into the team’s game against the Browns on Sunday.