The Jets don’t just have a quarterback controversy. They also have a backup-quarterback controversy.
Coach Robert Saleh said Joe Flacco would serve as Mike White’s backup Sunday against the Bills. Zach Wilson is still not ready to play after injuring his knee three weeks ago. But it may surprise some that Flacco, who was acquired in a trade two weeks ago, is the No. 2 over Josh Johnson.
Johnson has been the backup in each of the past two weeks and played well against the Colts in relief of an injured White. He completed 27 of 41 passes for 317 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. But this is simply a case of roster management. Johnson is on the practice squad and has been elevated to play in the past two games. A player can only be elevated twice, so now the Jets would have to sign him to the roster if they wanted Johnson to be active. That would give the Jets four quarterbacks on the active roster, which is not smart for managing the roster.
“We’re dealing with a whole ton of injuries, so being able to get him to the 53, there’s a numbers game,” Saleh said. “And so, with Joe, it’s basically giving him an opportunity, too, and he is ready to go. He’s been studying his butt off for the past couple of weeks.”
The Jets sent a sixth-round pick to the Eagles to get Flacco, but he has been inactive for the past two games.
WR Corey Davis is ready to return after missing two games with a hip injury. Davis was listed as limited in practice Wednesday.
“It feels good,” Davis said of the hip. “I was out there running around today full throttle. It felt good to be back.”
Davis said he was pretty close to playing against the Colts, but the Jets decided to give him an extra week of rest. The offense has been humming without Davis, and now he hopes to add to it.
“The boys have been starting off faster,” Davis said. “We obviously still have to pick that up, but just the execution and the details have been really good. The boys have been really locked in. Mike has been doing a great job of operating and getting guys where they’re supposed to be. It’s been pretty good to see and hopefully, I can help out a little bit.”
RB Tevin Coleman (hamstring), DE Shaq Lawson (hamstring), LG Alijah Vera-Tucker (toe), OT Chuma Edoga (knee) and Wilson (knee) were all limited in practice. … OL Conor McDermott, who suffered a knee injury in the preseason, was designated to return to practice from IR.