The New York Jets have seen enough of Zach Wilson and are turning to Tim Boyle as their starting quarterback this week, coach Robert Saleh said Monday afternoon in confirming earlier media reports.
Boyle, 29, will start Friday’s “Black Friday” game against the Miami Dolphins. It will mark just his fourth NFL start, his first with the Jets and first since 2021.
“Just give him an opportunity, different style of quarterback,” Saleh told reporters. “It’s really just an opportunity to see if he can do something with the offense.”
Saleh said Wilson, 24, will be third on the depth chart, with veteran Trevor Siemian, 31, backing up Boyle. All three will be active for Friday’s game.
Boyle came on in the third quarter of the Jets’ feeble 32-6 loss to the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Boyle completed 7 of 14 passes for 33 yards and an interception.
Wilson threw for 81 yards with a TD and an INT before being removed. On the season, Wilson is 3-6 as the starter, throwing for 1,944 yards, six TDs and seven interceptions. He has a QBR of 30.8, No. 30 out of 31 qualified passers in 2023.
Wilson took over as QB1 when Aaron Rodgers went down with an Achilles injury in Week 1, also against the Bills.
“Had things gone exactly they way we wanted them to? No. I don’t look at it as a failure,” Saleh said Monday. “I look it as a series of unfortunate events. But I stand strong in the belief that Zach’s going to have a really good career in this league.
“He’s got tremendous work ethic,” Saleh continued. “He’s gotten a lot better over the course of the last year. He definitely has the arm talent. He just turned 24, so he’s got a positive outlook, and he just needs to continue to focus on his game and find ways to get better and continue to learn about fronts and coverages and how to play the game a little bit faster. I still believe he’s going to have a good career.”
In 18 career games with four teams, Boyle has thrown for 607 yards and three TDs against nine INTs. He went 0-3 as a starter for the Detroit Lions in 2021.
