The New York Jets have made a significant change in their quarterback position during the third quarter of their game against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. With the Jets trailing 29-6, head coach Robert Saleh decided to pull starter Zach Wilson from the game and replace him with Tim Boyle.
Wilson, who was drafted in the second round of the 2021 NFL Draft, had been struggling during his rookie season. He completed just 7-of-15 passes for 81 yards, one touchdown, and one interception before being sacked five times. Despite his poor performance, Wilson had been a mainstay for the team since Aaron Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles injury early in the season. However, with no clear timeline for Rodgers’ return and the Jets struggling to stay competitive in their division, Saleh felt compelled to make a change.
Boyle is a veteran quarterback who has appeared in 17 games throughout his NFL career with three different teams: Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions, and Chicago Bears. Although he has never played for the Jets before, he did start three games for the Lions in 2021 when they were dealing with their own quarterback injuries. The move to bring in Boyle may be seen as an effort by Saleh to stabilize the team’s offense until Rodgers returns or until they can find another viable option at quarterback.
It remains to be seen what impact this change will have on the Jets’ playoff hopes. While they are currently out of contention, they still have hope that Rodgers can return to action soon and help them get back into playoff contention. If not, then this could be an indication that they may need to consider making other changes to their roster or coaching staff.
Overall, this decision by Saleh shows that he is willing to make tough calls even if it means going against popular opinion or traditional beliefs about how teams should handle injuries and personnel moves. Only time will tell if this move pays off for the Jets and helps them achieve success on and off the field.