Jets bench Zach Wilson, to start Tim Boyle at QB vs. Dolphins

The historically poor New York Jets benched quarterback Zach Wilson on Monday, another blow for a player once considered the future of the franchise.

It was the third benching in the last 13 months for Wilson, who could have played his final game for the Jets. The No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft will be replaced by Tim Boyle, who starts Friday against the Miami Dolphins at MetLife Stadium.

Trevor Siemian will be signed to the practice squad and serve as Boyle’s backup Friday, coach Robert Saleh said. Wilson will be the No. 3 quarterback under the NFL’s new emergency quarterback rule.

Saleh said he made the quarterback change to “give [Boyle] an opportunity, a different style of quarterback. It’s really just to give him an opportunity to see if we can do something with the offense. »

The move has long-term implications for the Jets, whose grand plan was to have Wilson learn under Aaron Rodgers for a year or two before returning to the starting position — an arrangement approved by Rodgers. That no longer seems likely, as Wilson has fought his way out of the No. 2 spot.

Saleh believes Wilson will have “a really good career in this league,” but he declined to comment on Wilson’s future with the organization, saying it would be addressed during the offseason. He said the Jets had not considered releasing Wilson.

“Like I said, it’s not everything, but there are things he needs to be better at,” said Saleh, who recently said it would be “lazy” to single out Wilson for the many evils in attack. “And it’s just another situation to see if we can give another guy an opportunity to see if anything can change.”

Wilson was thrust into action in the fifth game of the season, when Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles. Under Wilson, the Jets have managed just nine touchdowns in nearly 10 complete games while posting the worst red zone and third-worst efficiency in modern NFL history.

Saleh, who arrived with Wilson in 2021, remained alongside the former BYU star until Sunday night, when he pulled him late in the third quarter of a 32-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills . Afterward, Saleh was noncommittal about his quarterback plans — a sure sign he had lost patience.

“When things aren’t getting done, changes have to be made, and I understand that,” Wilson said after the game – a 7-for-15, 81-yard performance in which he failed to complete a single pass towards a goal. wide receiver.

For the season, Wilson is ranked 30th out of 31 qualified passers in QBR (30.7), with just six touchdown passes. In three years, he is 11-20 as a starter, with 21 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.

Wilson was benched twice last season, prompting the organization to trade for Rodgers. Instead of acquiring a proven veteran to serve as a backup, the Jets opted to keep Wilson as Rodgers’ understudy — a move by general manager Joe Douglas that could have jeopardized the season.

“You can always play the hindsight game, it’s 20/20, but we felt like we did what was best for the organization, best for the team,” Saleh said . It’s been an unfortunate series of events considering all the injuries involved and everything that’s happened since the start of the year.

Saleh offered a cryptic response when asked if the team could have done anything differently during the draft process in 2021.

“You know what? I actually have my thoughts,” he said. “I shared them with Joe, but I’m not going to talk about them here with you guys.”

Wilson is signed through 2024, with virtually no chance of his fifth-year option for 2025 being picked up. The deadline is early May 2024.

Boyle, 29, is an NFL journeyman who played for the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears. His only three starts came in 2021 for the Lions; he went 0-3 with three touchdowns and six interceptions. In Sunday’s relief outing, he completed 7 of 14 passes for 33 yards and an interception.

He was released by the Jets at the end of the preseason, then joined their practice squad. He was placed on the roster when Rodgers was injured.

“I think part of my strength is my ability to get the ball out of my hands quickly and show determination, I think that’s a part of my game that I rely on,” said Boyle Sunday evening.

Rodgers hopes to return Dec. 24 after Achilles surgery, but said that depends on whether the Jets make the playoffs. They are not. Saleh confirmed that Rodgers had a specific date in mind, but he would not reveal it.

“All of this will remain moot until it is cleared by the doctors,” Saleh said.

The Jets (4-6) have lost three straight games, scoring just 31 points. Their third-down efficiency is 23% and their red zone rate is 26%, both last in the NFL and worst since the 1970s when this data began being tracked.