The Jets spent Monday afternoon praising Mike White. Hours later, they traded for Joe Flacco.
Robert Saleh and Ty Johnson expressed confidence in White’s ability to replace Zach Wilson, who will miss 2-4 weeks with a PCL injury. Saleh said he thought White did “a really nice job running the offense and generating some scoring drives” on Sunday, while Johnson said he believes in the quarterback “100 percent.”
“He’s a stud,” Johnson continued, per SNY’s Ralph Vacchiano. “Come on now, that’s Mike White.”
Hours later, the Jets traded a sixth-round pick to the Eagles for Flacco.
So much for all that confidence.
It’s not shocking the Jets would make a move for a veteran quarterback. The closest thing they had to an experienced backup was Josh Johnson, who likely would have been promoted from the practice squad this week had Flacco not been acquired. White wasn’t exactly electric in his NFL debut, completing 62.5 percent of his passes for 202 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in three quarters against the Patriots.
Clearly, that wasn’t enough for the Jets to feel confident with White and Johnson as the top two quarterbacks on the roster.
Flacco’s familiarity with the offense will be touted as the reason why the Jets dealt precious draft capital for the 36-year-old. He spent the 2020 season with the Jets and started four games for an injured Sam Darnold, so he knows most of the team’s offensive players. While Flacco played in a very different Adam Gase scheme, he also knows a bit about New York’s current offensive system after spending time in the Gary Kubiak scheme with the Ravens and Broncos.
Flacco’s arrival doesn’t mean the immediate end of White’s reign, though. It wouldn’t make sense for the veteran to jump in as the starter less than a week before the Jets’ match with the Bengals, so White could get another chance to prove himself after a shaky debut.
But the trade indicates the Jets won’t give White a long leash, no matter what they said Monday. Flacco is an experienced enough quarterback to quickly take over if things go off the rails quickly, and it won’t take him long to adjust to his newish surroundings.
[lawrence-related id=657089,653630,648283]
[pickup_prop id=”14176″]