Jets coach Robert Saleh was still explaining the decision to make Mike White the No. 2 quarterback behind Zach Wilson on Monday.
The Jets had Joe Flacco at No. 2 all offseason and for the first seven weeks of the season. Flacco started the first three games when Zach Wilson was injured. But they changed things up last week, moving White up the depth chart. Saleh said the Jets will play White if Wilson gets hurt in order to find out what they have in the 27-year-old, who made his only three career starts last year.
“Mike White is one of our young guys on this football team,” Saleh said. “We’ve seen Joe. We know Joe. We love Joe. Hopefully, Zach does not get hurt. But, in the event he does get hurt, Mike White is going to get the opportunity because we need to know what we have in Mike.”
Mike White was elevated to the Jets’ backup quarterback. Bill Kostroun/New York Post
Robert Saleh reacts during the Jets’ loss to the Patriots. Charles Wenzelberg / New York PostThe Jets likely are evaluating if White is a long-term answer as a backup with the team. Saleh explained that the plan has been to have White play if Wilson gets injured, but they want him to get the second-team quarterback reps in practice to prepare if he has to play.
“We wanted him to get those second-team reps, let him know he’s next man up,” Saleh said. “There’s a human element to it. You always want to prepare like you’re next man up, but when you’re not the next man up it’s different. Now that he knows he’s the next man up, we feel like he’ll be able to prepare the way he needs to.”
The NFL trading deadline is 4 p.m. Tuesday. Saleh was asked if he expects disgruntled WR Elijah Moore to still be on the team after the deadline.
“Yep,” Saleh said.
The Jets made a move last week to get RB James Robinson. GM Joe Douglas may pull something else off before the deadline.
“Joe will always take phone calls,” Saleh said. “I know that. But as far as activity, I guess it depends on what the other person is saying.”
It sounds as if rookie OLB Jermaine Johnson was healthy enough to play Sunday but the Jets made him inactive because he was rusty after missing the previous two weeks with an ankle injury.
“Rookies, you guys would be surprised how much they forget when they miss a week,” Saleh said. “Hopefully he puts together a good week of practice and we can get him back out there Sunday. We’ll see how this week goes.”
WR Corey Davis (knee) remains day-to-day, according to Saleh. … Saleh said none of the players on injured reserve, including OTs George Fant and Max Mitchell, will return this week.
