Jets to start QB Mike White vs. Bengals

Mike White will be under center for the Jets in Zach Wilson’s absence.

The Jets will have a new temporary starting quarterback moving forward.

Since Zach Wilson is currently sidelined 2-4 weeks with a PCL sprain, the Jets will start primary backup quarterback Mike White this Sunday against Cincinnati. This comes in spite of the fact the Jets traded a conditional 2022 sixth-round draft pick to the Eagles for Joe Flacco earlier this week.

Mike White will get his first NFL start on Sunday.

— Al Iannazzone (@Al_Iannazzone) October 27, 2021

White entered this past Sunday’s loss to the Patriots following Wilson’s injury and threw for 202 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

The Jets may also elevate veteran quarterback Josh Johnson from the practice squad for the matchup, which means Flacco might not even be active for the game. The former Raven and Bronco still needs to get caught up with Mike LaFleur’s playbook.

Robert Saleh did backtrack a little on the Josh Johnson part of this. He said it's possible Joe Flacco could be activated to backup Mike White on Sunday, though that could be tough since he won't arrive here until Friday. https://t.co/syLhhYsMES

— Ralph Vacchiano (@RalphVacchiano) October 27, 2021

No, White does not have the starting job absolutely locked down until Wilson’s eventual return, whether that occurs in two weeks or closer to a month.

There’s always the chance White puts up a stinker against a strong Bengals defense this weekend and the weak performance forces the Robert Saleh-led coaching staff to look to either Johnson or Flacco for Week 9.

Until Wilson returns to the gridiron, the Jets quarterback situation could change from week to week. But regardless, White is at the top of the line with the team currently implementing a “next man up” mentality.

White has never started a game in the NFL before. His snaps against New England were the first in-game regular-season reps of his career.