Jets acquire veteran QB Joe Flacco (Report)

The Jets have made a move for a veteran quarterback with rookie signal-caller Zach Wilson out due to a knee injury.

Joe Flacco is on his way back to the Jets.

According to NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo, the Jets have traded for the veteran Eagles quarterback ahead of the deadline, which lands next Tuesday. Flacco was with the Jets last year and notched four starts due to the injury-related issues of then-New York quarterback Sam Darnold.

Sources: The #Eagles are trading Joe Flacco to the #Jets. With Zach Wilson out of action for a few weeks, Flacco is headed back to Florham Park.

— Mike Garafolo (@MikeGarafolo) October 25, 2021

ESPN’s Adam Schefter additionally reports it’s a conditional sixth-round draft pick that the Jets will be giving up in the deal.

Jets trading a conditional 6th-round pick to Philadelphia that can possibly be a 5th based on play time for QB Joe Flacco, per sources.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 25, 2021

This comes in the current absence of Zach Wilson. The rookie Jets quarterback suffered a PCL sprain in Sunday’s loss to the Patriots and is expected to be out 2-4 weeks.

It’s unclear if Wilson’s timetable for recovery will lead to an injured reserve stint, but it’s a possibility.

Flacco was previously backing up second-year quarterback Jalen Hurts in Philly but now has a chance to see some legitimate playing time in the absence of Wilson.

Don’t be surprised if there’s a little bit of a competition for the temporary starting job in Florham Park though. While Flacco is obviously a more experienced quarterback, Mike White already knows offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur’s playbook and entered the loss to New England on Sunday.

Regardless of who’s under center, the Jets offense has a tough task on its hands in Week 8. New York will be taking on the Bengals, who are allowing fewer than 20 points per game.