When Zach Wilson went down with a knee injury in the New York Jets‘ Week 7 loss to the New England Patriots, there was an immediate concern. Wilson was seen walking gingerly from the blue medical tent to the locker room as the game continued, the score of which was almost inconsequential when compared to the concern of New York’s franchise QB. Let’s take a look at the injury to Wilson and the potential timeline of his return.
Zach Wilson suffered a PCL injury in Week 7
After taking a hit from Patriots pass rusher Matthew Judon, Wilson was not removed from the field on a cart, which was a positive. That is self-explanatory, but when discussing franchise QBs, any small positive can be a big relief. The next win came when an MRI revealed the injury as a sprain of the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL).
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No knee injury is good for any NFL player, but a PCL injury is considered significantly better than one to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL). A serious ACL injury would have certainly meant Wilson would miss the remainder of his rookie season, much like Joe Burrow did in 2020.
Wilson will miss Week 10 against the Bills
Following Wilson’s injury, the Jets were generally positive about his long-term outlook. Although the Jets went out and added Joe Flacco via a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles, they did not place Wilson on injured reserve ahead of their Week 8 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.
Had Wilson been placed on IR, he would have been out until at least Week 11. By avoiding IR, Wilson could feasibly have returned ahead of New York’s Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills. However, it was confirmed heading into Week 10 that Mike White would start again and the Jets would exercise caution with Wilson. That now puts the rookie QB on track to potentially return in Week 11 or 12.
The performances of Mike White could mean the Jets can exercise caution with Wilson
While the news that Wilson would not miss extended time was great, it does transfer the onus of responsibility onto the Jets to be smart with their young QB. New York was never really likely to make a playoff run in 2021, and this season was more about development. Even after winning in Week 8 and advancing to 2-5, the odds are very much against the Jets earning a postseason berth.
The performance of White in Week 8 has bought the Jets some time. Had White struggled, New York may have felt pressure to rush Wilson back just to improve the product on the field. It would not have made or broken the season, but it could have had a major impact on the fanbase. Instead, Jets fans were chanting White’s name around the stadium as he led a victory against the Cincinnati Bengals.
A QB battle could make things worse
Rushing Wilson back on the field for Week 10 is not something the Jets need to do. However, it is a delicate balance. Young QBs need snaps and time on the field, but speeding up the process could be detrimental to Wilson’s development. Given that Saleh is a rookie head coach, he should be given the grace of time — and that means not exposing the future of the franchise.
Recently, Pro Football Network NFL Insider Tony Pauline reported that there’s tension and dysfunction within the Jets’ organization. It has been a rough season in New York, and a QB battle would only make that situation worse. If New York rushes Wilson back, and he struggles or gets hurt, the Jets could find themselves in a QB controversy.
Getting Wilson back onto the field in 2021 is important for his development. However, there is simply no need to rush him back if he is less than 100%. For as good as White was in Week 8, Wilson is the future of the franchise — and that needs to be remembered by everyone in the organization.