The New York Jets feared the worst when their No. 2 overall pick investment laid still on the canvas after being whomped by a New England Patriots defender on Sunday.
Zach Wilson eventually got up and walked off the field under his own power albeit very gingerly.
After the game Jets head coach Robert Saleh seemed optimistic based on everything they knew at the time, but also said, “you never know.”
We found out the details of the MRI on Monday and it was a positive result.
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Dodged a Major Bullet
It seemed obvious that Wilson was going to miss time, but the real question was how much.
On Monday, Adam Schefter of ESPN said “an MRI confirmed a sprained PCL” for Wilson who is now “expected to be sidelined” for the next two to four weeks.
The Jets dodged a major bullet here because the immediate fear when a quarterback goes down to the ground clutching his knee is that it could be season-ending.
Considering that timeline for a return here is a look at the next four games on the docket for the green and white:
- Week 8: vs Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
- Week 9: at Indianapolis Colts (3-4); Thursday Night Football
- Week 10: vs Buffalo Bills (4-2)
- Week 11: vs Miami Dolphins (1-6)
Looking Ahead to the Near Future
Obviously, it isn’t great losing your starting quarterback for any length of time, but this is great news considering the alternative.
This season was never about wins vs losses, it was always about the progression and development of Wilson throughout his first season. With him injured, the dynamic changes considerably.
Up next out of the bullpen will be Mike White, an inexperienced journeyman that just got his first taste of the NFL in relief duty vs the New England Patriots on Sunday.
Currently the green and white don’t have another option on the 53-man roster after White which means they’ll have to make a move immediately.
There appear to be two options that make a ton of sense, even if it doesn’t move the needle for the fan base.
Josh Johnson is a longtime NFL veteran that is currently on the Jets’ practice squad. He will likely be elevated sooner rather than later to fill the void at backup quarterback.
Another option that seems possible is for the green and white to steal James Morgan off of the Carolina Panthers practice squad. He is intimately familiar with the scheme and the players on the Jets roster.
With Wilson only being gone for a short time (two to four weeks), an outside-the-box move to add a saucy veteran seems extremely unlikely. When the Jets had that option throughout the offseason, both in the spring and summer, they declined. Why would they change their tune now?
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MRI Provides Positive Update on Jets’ Zach Wilson: Report