Mike White cleared to return for Jets as QB1 as Zach Wilson's future with franchise descends into further darkness
The New York Jets got themselves a late Christmas gift as quarterback Mike White has been cleared by doctors to start in Week 17. White missed the last two weeks under center as he recovered from broken ribs.
Zach Wilson started in place of White, losing a pivotal Week 16 matchup against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Wilson threw for 92 yards and an interception, completing just 50 percent of his throws.
White has thrown for 952 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in three starts this season for the Jets. The fifth-round pick in the 2018 NFL Draft also started three games for the franchise last season with similar numbers. Last season, White threw for 953 yards, five touchdowns and eight interceptions.
The news every #Jets fan was waiting for: QB Mike White is back as QB1. https://t.co/m0gYezRuwE
The team will travel to the West Coast in Week 17 to face the Seattle Seahawks with their playoff hopes still in tact. New York needs to defeat the Seahawks and beat the Miami Dolphins in Week 18. The Jets need the New England Patriots to lose one of their last two games to earn a playoff spot.
New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh feels that White could lead the franchise into the postseason, which would be their first appearance in 12 seasons. For Zach Wilson, Mike White's return means he'll find himself back on the bench as his time with the Jets could be running out.
Is Mike White really the answer for the New York Jets?
Zach Wilson was the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of BYU and looked to be their franchise quarterback. However, Wilson has struggled in his tenure with the Jets.
In 22 games with the team, he's thrown for 4,022 yards, 15 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. The quarterback has a 55.2 completion percentage and a quarterback rating of 70.9 in his young NFL career.
Given the boos and the performance of the Jets offense with him under center, it feels like Wilson may have lost the fanbase and potentially the locker room. The energy the offense has felt with any other QB under center in recent weeks has been truly staggering to observe. Wilson was benched for Chris Streveler against the Jaguars and although it was too late, Streveler finally got the offense moving.
Mike White has been an improvement on Wilson, but he might not be their future. The Jets haven't been winning games with him as the starter (1-2 this season) and after a while that takes a toll.
While it remains uncertain if Mike White will be the long-term answer for the Jets, it feels certain that Wilson is not. For now, New York will look to win out and cement themselves a place in the postseason.