Zach Wilson

Jets To Start Trevor Siemian In Week 16

December 22nd, 2023 at 10:14am CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets will join the Browns and Vikings in starting four quarterbacks this season. Zach Wilson will be sidelined due to the concussion he suffered against the Dolphins, moving Trevor Siemian into the starting lineup against the Commanders.

Siemian, whom the team signed to its practice squad early this season, will follow Aaron Rodgers, Wilson and Tim Boyle as Jets starting QBs. Brett Rypien, a Nathaniel Hackett charge during the latter’s one-and-done season in Denver, is the backup. After an effort to poach Rypien off the Rams’ practice squad failed earlier this season, the Jets succeeded earlier this month.

This will be Siemian’s second start as a Jet. The journeyman passer debuted with the team during Week 2 of the 2019 season, one he began as Sam Darnold‘s backup. A Darnold mononucleosis bout ushered in Siemian, though the backup suffered a season-ending injury during that Monday-night game against the Browns. Although Siemian has been with seven NFL teams (Broncos, Vikings, Jets, Titans, Saints, Bears, Bengals), he has started for four.

Seeing their Rodgers-dependent plans go awry four plays into the season, the Jets are eliminated from playoff contention. The team turned to Wilson, punting on opportunities to bring in a more experienced backup in the offseason and then on a chance to acquire a better QB following Rodgers’ injury. Siemian, who had inquired with the Jets about an opportunity after Rodgers went down, circled back to the team in late September.

Siemian, 32 next week, has completed just 48.7% of his throws (19-for-39) in relief of Wilson and Boyle this season. The Bengals cut Siemian after Jake Browning beat him out for their QB2 job in August. Both summer Burrow backups will end up making starts, with Browning now having made four this season.

Robert Saleh confirmed Rodgers will not operate as the Jets’ emergency third QB. The future Hall of Famer, after a much-discussed comeback effort, was activated off IR this week. But Rodgers closed up shop on the bid to return to game action. He remains eligible to practice to close out the season, however.

The Jets’ evolving QB group will look different in 2024. Rodgers is planning to play a 20th season (and perhaps a 21st in 2025), but Wilson is unlikely to be retained in the fourth year of his rookie contract. Siemian and Rypien are on one-year deals. It is conceivable one of them stays as a third-string option, but the Jets will be expected to pursue a QB2 upgrade.

Aaron Rodgers Expects To Play Beyond 2024

December 19th, 2023 at 10:04pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets have one more day to activate Aaron Rodgers from injured reserve. With the team officially out of playoff contention and Rodgers having torn an Achilles tendon barely three months ago, a comeback always seemed unrealistic.

After multiple reports placed the future Hall of Famer returning this season as unlikely, Rodgers confirmed he does not expect medical clearance this season. Rodgers said during his latest Pat McAfee Show appearance he would still be pushing the Jets to play had he been 100% (h/t NFL.com’s Ian Rapoport), but even after the speed-bridge surgery he underwent, the 40-year-old passer does not view himself as fully healthy.

That said, the Jets can still expect the recent trade acquisition to be back in 2024. Not only does Rodgers — who was close to retirement before the trade — expect to be back next season, the 19th-year veteran said he does not anticipate the ’24 campaign being his last. Rodgers hinted at playing beyond his 20th season this summer, but he had taken a year-to-year approach in his final seasons with the Packers.

Rodgers reaffirmed Tuesday he wanted to play two seasons with the Jets. One of those seasons would officially be in the books once the ex-Packers great reverts to season-ending IR on Wednesday, but he now views 2023 as a lost season (via Cimini) that will not count in this evolving equation. Hence Rodgers now wanting to play through the 2025 slate.

More pertinent for the Jets’ plans regarding their power structure, Rodgers said he believes in the Joe Douglas–Robert Saleh–Nathaniel Hackett trio. Referring to Saleh as a “fantastic” coach (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini), Rodgers has delivered what is expected to be a pivotal endorsement of a leader who will finish with a third straight sub-.500 season in New York. Jets ownership, however, has been viewed as being fine with writing off this season due to Rodgers’ injury and giving Saleh another shot.

Rodgers’ proclamations could represent great news for a coaching staff that has been unable to generate consistency — particularly on offense, where the Jets have submitted a historically woeful effort — following their quarterback’s season-defining injury. Not many modern-era HCs have been given a chance to return after starting a tenure 0-for-3 in winning seasons, but it is looking like the Jets will lean on Rodgers’ views here and stay the course. Saleh and Douglas would certainly enter the 2024 season on hot seats, while Hackett will be coming off two dreadful seasons as a primary play-caller. But the superstar QB’s injury is pointing to a mulligan.

In reworking Rodgers’ contract this offseason, the Jets convinced the four-time MVP to take a pay cut. Rodgers agreed to an unprecedented reduction in guaranteed money — from nearly $110MM to $75MM — through the 2024 season, and his ’23 campaign ended abruptly. No guaranteed money remains on this adjusted contract in 2025, but Rodgers is due a $35MM option bonus at that point. While the Jets will want to see how their high-profile pickup performs in 2024 after this late-career injury, their run of QB issues would not exactly point to nixing a Rodgers 2025 return.

One of the players to have rejoined Rodgers after a Green Bay stay, Allen Lazard said recently (via Cimini) Zach Wilson looks to understand he only has a few weeks left with the team. The Jets have been considered likely to separate from the disappointing No. 2 overall pick in 2024, but despite a number of benchings over the past two years, the team is hoping Rodgers’ backup can start the rest of this season. The Jets would take on an $11MM-plus dead-money hit by moving Wilson off the roster in 2024, but given his role in this disastrous season, it certainly looks like the team is finally ready to cut bait. Wilson presently resides in concussion protocol, but Saleh confirmed he will start in Week 16 if cleared.

Wilson appears to be on his way out of New York, but Rodgers endorsing the team’s GM-HC-OC trio may well lead to it remaining in place. Hackett will be attempting to come off one of the modern NFL’s worst HC stays (in Denver last year), though Rodgers has long endorsed the former Packers non-play-calling OC. Douglas is now the GM overseeing the longest active playoff drought in major North American sports. Douglas was obviously not in town for the Jets’ entire drought, but he has been in place since 2019.

AFC Injury Roundup: Colts, Ivey, Steelers, Wilson

December 17th, 2023 at 8:31pm CST by Ely Allen

The Colts battled through a number of injuries to beat the Steelers and remain in the playoff hunt for the AFC yesterday. Two key players in wide receiver Michael Pittman and running back Zack Moss were forced to exit the game early with injuries and failed to return.

Pittman was knocked out of the game with a concussion after receiving a hit from Steelers safety Damontae Kazee that resulted in Kazee’s ejection. Without his favorite target by far, quarterback Gardner Minshew was required to spread the ball out, completing passes to eight other players for the rest of the game. Though they were able to find success, Indianapolis will hope that Pittman can work his way through the concussion protocols quickly as Pittman is the target on nearly a third of the team’s pass attempts.

There was serious concern when Moss exited the game with an injury to the same arm that was broken around the start of the season. He was forced to leave the game due to issues with grip. With Jonathan Taylor missing most of the season thus far, Moss has taken the crown as the team’s leading rusher. Luckily, X-rays came back negative on Moss’ arm, so he should be able to return next week.

Here are a few other injury updates from around the AFC this week:

Joining fellow Bengals defender D.J. Reader, who was announced to be out for the season last night, seventh-round rookie cornerback DJ Ivey left yesterday’s game with a torn ACL that will end his season, as well, per Kelsey Conway of USA Today. The late-round pick out of Miami (FL) will see his rookie season cut short just as he was beginning to earn some more playing time in Cincinnati. He received a game ball last week for making a key pass breakup and recovering a fumble on punt coverage.
After Kazee was ejected, the Steelers were left with two backups in the game when Minkah Fitzpatrick left the game with a knee injury, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. Fitzpatrick was able to walk off the field under his own power, but after a brief evaluation on the sideline, it was determined that he should not return for the second half of the game. Another starter, defensive tackle Cameron Heyward, will be a question mark to make a Week 16 appearance as he is reportedly in concussion protocol, per ESPN’s Brooke Pryor.
Lastly, from today’s games, the Jets were once again forced to turn to a new passer, this time Trevor Siemian, after starting quarterback Zach Wilson was forced to leave the game with a concussion in the second quarter, according to Rich Cimini of ESPN. If Wilson is unable to come back next week, it’ll likely be Siemian starting for New York against the Commanders.

Jets Aiming For Zach Wilson To Start For Rest Of Season; Latest On Team’s Coaching Staff

December 7th, 2023 at 10:00pm CST by Sam Robinson

The Jets’ latest round of quarterback adventures will feature Zach Wilson reinstalled as the starter. Robert Saleh called the former No. 2 overall pick the best option the team has, and the third-year coach indicated he had always viewed Wilson as the most talented healthy QB on the team despite demoting him for a third time last month.

This marks the second Wilson re-emergence after a benching. The Jets demoted the BYU alum from starter to third-stringer in November 2022, but after leapfrogging Joe Flacco for the QB2 role weeks later, Wilson regained the gig following Mike White‘s rib injury. The Jets will dispense with a Wilson incremental depth chart climb, moving him from QB3 to QB1 in Week 14. Last week’s QB1 (Tim Boyle) being off the team makes that jump a bit easier. Trevor Siemian and ex-Nathaniel Hackett Broncos charge Brett Rypien are now on the roster, with Rypien guaranteed to stay for at least three weeks due to the Jets poaching him off the Rams’ practice squad.

Although Aaron Rodgers remains in the IR-return window, the Jets’ preferred starter is not expected to play this season. Saleh did not rule out Rodgers, who has linked a return to the Jets’ chances at a playoff berth, but said Wilson “God willing” will be New York’s starter the rest of the way.

At 4-8, the Jets are all but eliminated from the postseason race. The team has lost five straight, reminding of its close to last season, which involved a six-game skid to wrap the slate. The rumor about Wilson being reluctant to start again may have come from the embattled QB asking at least one teammate for advice on how to handle the team’s final few games, Rich Cimini of ESPN.com notes. Wilson said The Athletic’s report depicting reluctance to return as the starter was “absolutely not” accurate.

One more season remains on Wilson’s rookie contract. Even with Wilson costing the Jets $11MM-plus in dead money to waive during the 2024 offseason, Cimini indicates the disappointing passer is unlikely to be part of the ’24 Jets. Given his performance and repeated benchings, it certainly adds up the organization will have had its fill by season’s end. The Jets attempting to redevelop Wilson — by handing him the QB2 job this offseason and then declaring him their unquestioned starter once Rodgers went down — can be scrutinized; assuming Rodgers is back next season, it makes sense for the organization to bring in a more reliable backup for its 40-year-old starter.

Regarding Rodgers’ comments about the Jets’ poor culture leading to the Wilson information leaking, Saleh disagrees with the injured veteran about the Jets having a culture problem, Cimini tweets. It is quite possible the Rodgers-Saleh-Hackett-Joe Douglas quartet will be back next season, with ownership writing this one off as a lost campaign due to Rodgers’ Week 1 Achilles tear. Of course, how much more losing will Woody Johnson tolerate even in these unusual circumstances?

The Jets have scored 10 offensive touchdowns this season, topping the 2006 Raiders and 2011 Rams (11 apiece) for the fewest through 12 games this century. Given Hackett’s disastrous showing as the Broncos’ play-caller last season, his stock has cratered since a three-year run as the Packers’ non-play-calling OC. But a perception around the league has pointed to the Jets taking a mulligan on this season, ESPN.com’s Dan Graziano notes. Rodgers’ influence is also believed to be strong enough he will be able to dictate how the Jets proceed with their staff. Rodgers’ first seven months in New York lend credence to that, which could bode well for the current staff. Saleh is 15-31 leading the Jets.

Johnson was serving as the U.S. ambassador to the United Kingdom when both Douglas and Saleh were interviewed, and Graziano adds acting owner Christopher Johnson is believed to have overseen the Saleh hire in January 2021. How Wilson and the Jets fare down the stretch could have some sway in terms of which staffers have the opportunity to lead a presumably Rodgers-quarterbacked team in 2024.

Jets To Start Zach Wilson In Week 14

December 6th, 2023 at 11:41am CST by Sam Robinson

DECEMBER 6: Despite Monday’s report about Wilson being reluctant to return to action, the Jets will start the former top prospect in Week 14. Saleh confirmed Wilson will be back in New York’s lineup for the matchup against the Texans. The third-year HC notably said (via the New York Post’s Brian Costello) he always believed Wilson was the best healthy QB on the team’s roster, but he wanted to see if Boyle and Siemian could provide a spark.

Notably, Cimini notes Saleh was leaning in this direction Monday but delayed his announcement due to the above-referenced report that surfaced about Wilson’s willingness to play again. For a franchise that has repeatedly missed on QBs, this has been one of its most eventful seasons at the position.

DECEMBER 5: Long tabbed as unrealistic, the Aaron Rodgers journey back to the Jets’ lineup is no longer expected to happen. With the Jets’ losing streak dropping the team to 4-8 and out of realistic playoff contention, the team is stuck with a bottom-end quarterback situation for the season’s final five games.

The starter in the Jets’ past two games, Tim Boyle, is no longer with the team. But Robert Saleh has yet to determine if Zach Wilson or Trevor Siemian will start against the Texans in Week 14. This is obviously a problem the Jets had hoped to bury by acquiring Rodgers, but more Wilson drama has surfaced. A report from The Athletic on Monday indicated Wilson expressed hesitancy about returning to the Jets’ starting lineup, citing injury concerns.

While staying healthy will be important for Wilson’s prospects of receiving another chance elsewhere in 2024, should the Jets finally move on, Saleh said the embattled QB approached him indicating he would like to start again. Though it is unclear if Wilson sought out Saleh because of Monday’s report questioning his interest in returning, Saleh said the quarterback “wouldn’t be here” if he truly did not want to play again this season.

That said, Saleh later indicated during his weekly Michael Kay Show interview (via ESPN.com’s Rich Cimini) that it was conceivable Wilson made such a remark to a teammate that ended up being leaked.

“Empathetically, I’m sure there would be,” Saleh said, via Cimini, about a concern regarding Wilson’s head space due to his run of depth chart movement. “We had this story last year and I think it’s different. I think last year he truly lost confidence in himself. I think this year, as demonstrated by [Monday’s meeting], he knows damn well he should be on the football field.”

The Jets have now benched Wilson three times, doing so twice last season and finally parking him for the since-cut Boyle last month. Saleh’s other options being Boyle and Siemian for most of this season represent why Wilson’s leash was so long this year. The fact the former No. 2 overall pick has a viable route back to the Jets’ starting lineup illustrates how bleak this situation has gotten. Wilson’s QBR figure, after a slight Bryce Young elevation, has dropped to last among qualified players this season. But Boyle and Siemian’s struggles in an ugly 13-8 loss to the Falcons have led to Wilson returning to the starter conversation.

While Rodgers no longer appears in the mix to start until 2024, assuming he follows through on his pledge to return for a 20th season, the future Hall of Famer took aim at the Jets organization for the leak that led to the Wilson story coming out this week, Outkick.com’s Armando Salguero notes.

It would cost the Jets $11.2MM to waive Wilson in 2024, the final year of his rookie contract. The BYU product will enter a contract year in 2024, as there is virtually no chance the Jets pick up his fifth-year option. Going further, Cimini adds Wilson will likely be released after the season.

Wilson went first to third to second to first to third on the Jets’ depth chart from his November 2022 benching to the Boyle cut. Because of Boyle’s exit, Wilson will be no worse than No. 2 again on Gang Green’s depth chart. Brett Rypien is expected to play behind Siemian and Wilson against Houston. It certainly appears Wilson will have more chances to close out his third season; they will perhaps be his final opportunities in what has been one of the worst tenures by a first-round QB in recent NFL history.

Zach Wilson Reluctant To Reclaim Jets’ Starting Role?

December 4th, 2023 at 10:22pm CST by Adam La Rose

The Jets exited their Week 13 loss with a new round of uncertainty at the quarterback position, and another change to the depth chart could be coming. New York is eyeing a move which will put Zach Wilson back in the starter’s role, Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini of The Athletic report.

However, the pair note that Wilson is “reluctant to stepping back in.” The former No. 2 pick was benched last month to allow Tim Boyle a chance at the starting spot. That decision saw Wilson dropped to third on the depth chart for the second consecutive season, and appeared to mark a firm end to his playing days in New York. Instead, neither Boyle – who received the start for Week 13 – nor Trevor Siemian have impressed in their respective audition periods.

Wilson’s remarks in the wake of his latest benching indicated he feels he has developed individually and the Jets’ offense (a unit which has been riddled with injuries up front and drawn criticism due to OC Nathaniel Hackett‘s play-calling) has struggled due to its collective struggles, not only his own. Rosenblatt and Russini report the Jets are hopeful Wilson will reconsider his stance, but it will be worth watching closely how willing he is to take the field for a team which seemed to move on from him so recently. The Athletic’s Jeff Howe tweets that Wilson would be amenable to starting if asked directly.

Head coach Robert Saleh repeatedly endorsed Wilson during the 2023 season despite his lack of tangible progression in his third season in the league. He later noted the Jets were in lockstep in their evaluation of the quarterback situation before the decision to move in a different direction was made. Now, another switch could be coming soon and Saleh’s Monday remarks noted Wilson is an option to return to the playing field.

Aaron Rodgers – whose Week 1 Achilles tear has precipitated the Jets’ QB instability – reached out to Wilson to advise him to retake the starting position if offered, Russini adds. The latter could showcase himself for a prospective new team by finishing out the season, especially with the expectation Rodgers will not suit up given the team’s losing streak and the fact it has essentially eliminated them from the postseason.

Saleh unsurprisingly declined to name a Week 14 starter on Monday, but New York’s handling of the QB depth chart will be worth following closely as it pertains to Wilson in particular. His rookie contract runs through 2024 – provided the Jets elect to decline his fifth-year option in the spring – and a decision on his long-term future in the organization could be impacted by another stint as a No. 1 should the opportunity present itself.

Jets Rumors: QB, Winfrey, Other Injuries

December 3rd, 2023 at 6:03pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jets continue to see struggles at the quarterback position. Hours after hearing that Aaron Rodgers would likely not work his way back to a starting role this season, the situation at the position became even more dire as third-string starter Tim Boyle was benched in today’s loss to the Falcons in favor of veteran Trevor Siemian. The team is currently undecided on whether or not the switch will be permanent going into next week, per Josh Alper of NBC Sports.

New York was trailing Atlanta early in the second half, and Boyle had completed just over half of his passes for 148 yards in what was a fairly uninspiring performance. When Boyle threw an ill-advised pass that ended up in the hands of an over-the-top safety, head coach Robert Saleh put the 29-year-old on the bench, sending in Siemian, the recent journeyman.

Siemian, who despite playing for four different teams has started a game in each of the past five years, didn’t fare much better than Boyle against Atlanta. While Saleh hoped the move would spark the offense, Siemian failed to lead the team to any points, completing only 5 of his 13 pass attempts for 66 yards. He also fumbled the ball three times, losing one to the opposing defense.

With that failed experiment, Saleh has yet to make a decision on what the plan will be next week. Asked if benched former starter Zach Wilson could make a return to the first team, Saleh replied that Wilson is “always in consideration.” With Rodgers not likely to return, Saleh will need to figure something out with the options available to him.

Here are a few more rumors coming out of East Rutherford:

Defensive tackle Perrion Winfrey made his season debut today after being a standard gameday elevation from the practice squad. Unfortunately, that’s where his 2023 campaign will end. In today’s loss, Winfrey suffered a “really bad” foot injury that Saleh proclaimed would leave him done for the season, according to ESPN’s Rich Cimini.
Also sidelined in the loss were veteran tight end C.J. Uzomah and undrafted rookie wide receiver Jason Brownlee. Per Cimini, Uzomah suffered a sprained MCL and Brownlee left the game with an ankle injury. Taking away offensive weapons from the Jets’ arsenal surely doesn’t help the team’s struggles at quarterback.

Jets To Give QB Tim Boyle Another Start

November 25th, 2023 at 10:11pm CST by Ben Levine

Tim Boyle is getting at least one more start for the Jets. Coach Robert Saleh told reporters this morning that the backup QB will be under center next weekend against the Falcons.

“Yeah, we’re giving Timmy a chance to roll again next week,” Saleh said (via ESPN’s Rich Cimini).

It wasn’t a great showing for Boyle yesterday in his first start of the season. While the 29-year-old completed a respectable 71.1 percent of his passes, he also tossed a pair of interceptions and had a pair of fumbles. The loss to the Dolphins dropped Boyle to 0-4 as a starter in his career, with the other three losses coming with the Lions in 2021.

If Boyle is replaced, the Jets would likely turn to newly-named QB2 Trevor Siemian. The veteran was signed to the Jets active roster earlier this week as the team reworked their depth chart, a shakeup that saw Zach Wilson get demoted to the third spot on the depth chart. At this point, it seems unlikely that the Jets would turn back to the former second-overall pick, meaning Boyle or Siemian should get the bulk of the snaps at the position.

Of course, Aaron Rodgers has continued to keep the door open regarding a late-season return. However, thanks to yesterday’s loss, the Jets are now armed with the third-worst record in the AFC. Even with a future Hall of Fame QB back in the lineup, it’s unlikely they’d have enough time to insert themselves into the playoff picture.

Speaking of, that Jets loss also means the team would be eyeing a top-10 pick if the season ended today. Even though the organization is quickly climbing into “QB territory” on the draft board, Cimini says it would be a stunner if the front office chose a quarterback in the upcoming draft. The team still plans to roll with Rodgers in 2024, so any move will likely revolve around their win-now mentality.

Jets’ Zach Wilson Addresses Benching

November 24th, 2023 at 1:41pm CST by Adam La Rose

The NFL’s first Black Friday matchup will see the Jets move forward with the 2023 version of their post-Zach Wilson offense. The former No. 2 pick has seen his status as starting quarterback removed for the second consecutive season, with Tim Boyle now set to handle first-team duties.

Wilson was benched in place of Mike White in 2022, as the Jets struggled offensively and the former failed to make the Year 2 jump many young passers experience. He acknowledged that New York’s offense has once again fallen short of expectations in 2023, prompting the team’s decision to drop him to No. 3 on the QB depth chart. Wilson’s remarks on the move indicate he feels he has developed over the course of this season, though.

“It’s a lot different,” the 24-year-old said, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “Obviously, I wasn’t doing anything well last year. It was well-deserved. I felt like it was deserved in the locker room. But where I’m at right now, it’s like we’re truly struggling as an offense. It’s hard to point the finger at anybody. I hope we can figure things out and I’ll take that if that’s the issue.”

Wilson added that he felt he has not been “scapegoated” for the issues New York’s offense has been dealing with. The unit ranks near the bottom of the NFL in many categories, and the Jets have scored only nine offensive touchdowns in 10 games this season. Wilson has completed less than 60% of his passes while throwing more interceptions (seven) than touchdowns (six) and losing five fumbles. Those figures have played a large part in New York’s struggles, though other elements – such as an injury-riddled offensive line and play-calling from OC Nathaniel Hackett which has come under scrutiny – have contributed as well.

With Wilson having been demoted for a second straight year, however, it has become increasingly difficult to see him remaining with the Jets no later than the expiration of his rookie contract in 2024. His shortcomings have led to reflections on New York’s decision to draft him in 2021, a move which followed the end of Sam Darnold‘s time at the helm. The latter still had supporters in the organization when the commitment to drafting Wilson was made, SNY’s Connor Hughes notes. Darnold was traded to the Panthers in April 2021, and he signed with the 49ers as a free agent this offseason.

In the wake of benching Wilson, head coach Robert Saleh was unsurprisingly asked about his thoughts on the process of selecting the BYU alum. He responded (via Cimini) simply that he has “shared his thoughts” on the decision with general manager Joe Douglas without going into detail. Saleh has repeatedly given Wilson public votes of confidence, only opening the door to a quarterback swap this past week in the wake of Boyle taking over from Wilson midway through the Jets’ Week 11 loss.

Of course, the organization made its thoughts on Wilson clear by acquiring Aaron Rogers this offseason to supplement a roster believed to be in win-now mode at many positions other than quarterback. With Rodgers under contract for next year, it will be interesting to see how the Jets choose to proceed with Wilson over the coming months in light of his tenure as a New York starter likely having come to an end.

Jets Sign QB Trevor Siemian From Practice Squad

November 21st, 2023 at 1:46pm CST by Sam Robinson

Nearly two months after he rejoined the Jets, Trevor Siemian is back on their active roster. Set to be the team’s backup in Week 12, Siemian is now officially signed to the 53-man roster.

The well-traveled veteran has spent seven weeks on New York’s practice squad, signing with the team Sept. 26. Tuesday’s transaction will mark a change for the 31-year-old passer, who has not been a gameday elevation this year for the Jets.

The Jets’ latest Zach Wilson benching will send Tim Boyle into the starter’s role and Wilson down to the third-string level. This is how the Jets proceeded when they initially benched Wilson last year, moving Mike White to the QB1 spot and bumping Joe Flacco above Wilson. While Wilson eventually worked his way back to the QB2 position, he only reentered the lineup due to a White injury. Robert Saleh kept the door open for Wilson re-emerging yet again and repeated the expectation (via SNY’s Connor Hughes) the demoted passer will have a good career, but the former No. 2 overall pick has been given considerable time. Through 31 starts, the BYU product has proven incapable of being a viable NFL starter.

Boyle, 29, is by far the least experienced of the Jets’ three healthy quarterbacks. The 2018 Packers UDFA has made three starts and thrown only 120 career passes. Despite Siemian being with the team for nearly two months, Boyle — signed in April to be New York’s third-stringer behind Aaron Rodgers and Wilson — will receive the first start in the wake of Wilson benching No. 3.

Siemian has made 30 career starts, the bulk of them coming in Denver. The Broncos signed off on a historically unusual plan by making Siemian — the third-stringer on their Super Bowl-winning team — their Peyton Manning successor. Siemian beat out Mark Sanchez and Paxton Lynch for that role in 2016 and went 13-11 as Denver’s starter in two seasons. The Broncos, however, traded him to the Vikings after signing ex-Minnesota starter Case Keenum. After a year backing up Kirk Cousins, Siemian signed with the Jets. A season-ending ankle injury sustained during a Week 2 game replacing a mononucleosis-stricken Sam Darnold ended Siemian’s initial Jets stint.

The former seventh-round pick has since been with the Titans, Saints, Bears and Bengals. Siemian lost a preseason competition with Jake Browning to become Joe Burrow‘s backup, a battle that suddenly becomes quite relevant in Southwest Ohio. Although Boyle has been in Nathaniel Hackett‘s system for three years, it would certainly not surprise to see Siemian given a chance for a Jets team (4-6) desperate for a win to stay in the playoff race and keep a potential window for a Rodgers return open.

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