FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson is expected to miss two to four weeks with a sprained PCL in his right knee, a source told ESPN’s Adam Schefter.
An MRI on Monday morning confirmed what the Jets suspected after their 54-13 loss to the New England Patriots — a mild sprain to the posterior cruciate ligament.
The Jets have to make a decision about whether to place Wilson on injured reserve, which would sideline him for a minimum of three games.
Mike White, who made his NFL debut Sunday, is expected to start this Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium. Journeyman Josh Johnson is likely to be elevated from the practice squad to serve as the primary backup. The Jets may look to add an emergency quarterback for the practice squad.
Wilson’s injury is a blow for the reeling Jets (1-5), who made the former BYU star the focal point of their rebuilding plan. The No. 2 overall pick started the first six games. Even though he’s struggling — ranked 31st out of 32 qualified quarterbacks in Total QBR — he’s gaining valuable experience.
The upside is that Wilson, without any setbacks in his rehab, should be back to play the final seven or eight games.
Wilson said his knee “twisted” and he “felt a pop” on a second-quarter hit by linebacker Matt Judon, who blasted the young quarterback as he heaved a long pass. He limped to the locker room and watched the remainder of his game on his smartphone, already rehabbing his knee.
The Jets left themselves vulnerable at quarterback by opting not to sign an experienced backup. They entered the season as only the fifth team in the last 10 seasons to have no quarterbacks with NFL experience on their Week 1 roster, according to Elias Sports.
White, a former Dallas Cowboys draft pick, threw a 3-yard touchdown on his first pass, but he finished with two interceptions. He completed 20 of 32 passes for 202 yards.
“Yeah, I’m confident in myself,” White said after the game. “I’m mostly confident in the guys we have in that locker room, the leaders we have. The coaching staff, too.”
Rookie middle linebacker Jamien Sherwood, who started Sunday for the injured C.J. Mosley (hamstring), is out for the rest of the season with a torn Achilles’ tendon, a source told Schefter.
Sherwood, a fifth-round pick from Auburn, was making the transition from college safety to linebacker. He started four games and made 14 tackles. The Jets are almost depleted at linebacker, but they’re hoping Mosley and Jarrad Davis (ankle) are close to returning. Davis suffered a severe sprain in the preseason and hasn’t played.