Although he exited the field with an injury during the Jets’ 45-30 loss to the Colts on Thursday Night, quarterback Mike White is expected to make his return next week.
Coach Robert Saleh will have a big decision to make ahead of the Jets’ Week 10 matchup against the Bills. He told reporters on Friday that White’s injury isn’t serious and that he’s expected to practice next week.
After completing seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown, White suffered a forearm injury that caused him to exit the field in the first quarter. As he was listed as questionable to return for the remainder of the matchup, Josh Johnson came in and threw 317 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Despite taking over for White and totaling three touchdowns for the first time since 2009, Johnson couldn’t help the Jets earn a statement win on the road.
“I just kind of felt it almost lock up on me and going to the sideline, my two middle fingers kind of went numb,” White told reporters. “I couldn’t aggressively grip the ball. It feels better now. But during the course of the game, I just couldn’t get enough effectiveness with my grip and power to be able to help the team.”
MORE: Mike White injury update
While White is preparing to return, rookie quarterback Zach Wilson is steadily making a recovery from a sprained PCL. After suffering the injury during the Jets’ 54-13 loss to the Patriots in Week 7, Saleh confirmed his timetable for return was two to four weeks. However, Saleh confirmed on Friday that Wilson may return to practice as early as next week.
“He’s progressing exactly like we thought,” Saleh told reporters. “There’s hope that, as I said, he can at the very least practice next week. And we’ll see how he progresses over the weekend to see if it’s an option to get him on the field.”
Depending on the status of their injuries, there may be a quarterback controversy brewing in New York over the next few weeks. The Jets may also utilize Joe Flacco after they acquired him in a trade with the Eagles.
When reporters asked Saleh who’s starting against the Bills, he replied, “We’ll see. It’s day to day.”