With Zach Wilson still in concussion protocol, Trevor Siemian will start at quarterback for Jets vs. Browns
Trevor Siemian of the Jets takes a snap in the first half against the Commanders at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Zach Wilson has not cleared the concussion protocol and has been ruled out of Thursday’s game in Cleveland. Trevor Siemian will get his second straight start.
The Jets have only one game remaining after that. It’s possible that Wilson’s season and perhaps his Jets’ career is over.
“We’ll see,” Robert Saleh said about Wilson returning for the finale at New England. “The most important thing for him is to get rid of all these symptoms and progress. That’s first and foremost.”
Wilson sustained the concussion in the Jets’ 30-0 loss in Miami on Dec. 17. He took some big hits and left the game late in the first half.
It doesn’t make much sense for Wilson to play again. He doesn’t have a future with the Jets. The expectation is the team will try to trade Wilson during the offseason.
Saleh benched Wilson earlier in the season – for the third time in less than 13 months – only to go back to him when Tim Boyle and Siemian struggled to move the offense. When the Jets went back to Wilson, there was a report that he was reluctant to play because he didn’t want to get hurt.
Wilson, the No. 2 pick in 2021, was supposed to back up Aaron Rodgers this season and learn from him. That changed four snaps into the season after Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon. The Jets were 5-7 in games that Wilson played. He threw eight touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Siemian helped the Jets to a 30-28 win over Washington on Sunday. It was Siemian’s first victory as a starting quarterback since 2017.He threw one touchdown pass and one interception and led a drive at the end that resulted in Greg Zuerlein’s 54-yard game-winning field goal with five seconds left.
“Trev did some nice things in the game,” Saleh said. “He’s got so much playing time under his belt. It was great just to have a conversation with him and his recognition that he could have even done better. So obviously it is a short week, but he’ll prepare the way he needs to.”
Two-minute drill
Zuerlein came out of Sunday’s game with right-quad soreness. The Jets may need to sign a kicker to the practice squad for insurance. … Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) and Jeremy Ruckert (concussion) have also been ruled out.
Al Iannazzone covers the Jets for Newsday after spending nearly two decades on the NBA beat with Knicks and Nets.
