New York Jets

The New York Jets have hired former NFL quarterback John Beck to their staff for the remainder of the 2021 season, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.

Beck has been a personal coach for rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, and now he will remain on the sidelines for at least the rest of the year.

Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, is recovering from a sprained PCL and is expected to return after two-to-four weeks, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. 

Wilson was struggling before the injury, throwing nine interceptions with just four touchdowns in six games. His 25.9 Total QBR ranked second-worst in the NFL, ahead of only Chicago Bears rookie Justin Fields. 

Backup quarterback Mike White thrived with Wilson unavailable, totaling 405 passing yards and three touchdowns in an upset win over the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday. Even if it doesn't create a starter controversy, it's enough to raise expectations for Wilson.

Beck could help Wilson reach his potential after the two have worked together for several years. According to Cimini, the fellow BYU alum was "instrumental during the predraft process."

The 40-year-old appeared in nine NFL games after being selected in the second round of the 2007 draft. He has since provided instruction to professional quarterbacks from the 3DQB facility in Huntington Beach, California.

This will be Beck's first formal coaching job in the NFL.  

As the NFL trade deadline approaches, teams will be scouring for ways to improve their rosters immediately or build for the future.

One team that could emerge as a trade partner for those looking to improve in the short term is the New York Jets. SNY's Ralph Vacchiano reported that teams are showing interest in a pair of New York's wide receivers.

"As contenders scrounge for offensive help for the stretch, Jets receivers Jamison Crowder and Denzel Mims have emerged as hot names on the market, according to multiple NFL sources," Vacchiano wrote.

Vacchiano added that teams aren't fully convinced that the Jets will be looking to move Crowder or Mims because they may not want to lose one of their offensive weapons.

"But there is considerable skepticism about whether the Jets would be willing to deal either one of them, given the current state of their offense and how it might affect rookie quarterback Zach Wilson," Vacchiano stated.

Wilson is out with a knee injury and is not expected to return until Nov. 14 against the Buffalo Bills at the earliest. New York No. 1 wide receiver Corey Davis also missed Sunday's game with a hip injury.

In their first game without Wilson, the Jets topped the Cincinnati Bengals 34-31 behind a 405-yard, three-touchdown performance by backup quarterback Mike White.

Mims was selected by New York in the second round of the 2019 NFL draft. His playing time this season has been a hot topic as he tumbled down the wide receiver depth chart during training camp. But at 6'3", 207 pounds with 4.5 speed, Mims still has a ton of potential and the Jets may not be ready to give up on the Baylor product.

Crowder is a 28-year-old veteran and one of New York's most reliable receivers. He accepted a pay cut from $10 million to a salary of $5 million in the offseason to remain with the team. Crowder is in the final year of his contract, and the Jets already have his potential replacement on the roster in rookie wideout Elijah Moore.

Vacchiano named the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints as teams who might be interested in trading for a wide receiver. The NFL trade deadline is Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET.     

In his first career start, New York Jets quarterback Mike White made a huge impression in Sunday's 34-31 win over the Cincinnati Bengals. So much so, that it seems like Jets head coach Robert Saleh is open to the idea of White remaining the team's starter going forward.

When asked about White being the Jets' long-term answer at quarterback after the game, Saleh told reporters "anything is possible."

White threw for 405 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions as New York improved to 2-5. He led the Jets on a touchdown drive to open Sunday's game for New York's first points in the first quarter this entire season. White's performance put him in some elite company.

White was starting in place of Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, who suffered a sprained PCL in Week 7 against the New England Patriots. The earliest Wilson is expected to return is Nov. 14 against the Buffalo Bills, giving White at least one more start against the Indianapolis Colts on Thursday Night Football.

Drafted in the fifth round of the 2018 draft by the Dallas Cowboys, White landed on the Jets' practice squad in 2019. He had been switched between New York's practice squad and active roster 11 times prior to Sunday's start.

The Jets offense looked more efficient under White as offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur called the game from the booth for the first time this year. LaFleur usually called the game from the sideline so he could be in direct communication with Wilson, but he switched things up with White under center.

The Jets have longed for a solution at the quarterback position, and they believed they found it when they drafted Wilson No. 2 overall in this year's draft. But Wilson has struggled through rookie growing pains, throwing nine interceptions prior to his injury.

If White continues to play like he did Sunday, the Jets may have had their long-term answer at quarterback all along, and he was on their practice squad.

Jets veteran safety Marcus Maye has been linked in trade rumors for weeks, and now we've finally learned what New York is reportedly seeking in exchange for the former second-round pick.

Multiple teams are interested in trading for Maye, and the Jets are open to moving him ahead of the Tuesday trade deadline. However, they're seeking "at least" a third-round pick in exchange for the 28-year-old, according to SNY's Ralph Vacchiano.

There is "considerable doubt" the Jets will receive that type of compensation for Maye because he's still owed $6.5 million on his franchise tag, Vacchiano adds. 

"So far, a source said, there have been no serious trade discussions between the Jets and any team, so it's unclear if they will be willing to back off that price in the next few days," Vacchiano writes. 

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported earlier this month that Maye would "welcome a trade to a contender" and noted he was a "prime player to watch" with the deadline approaching. However, Maye denied those rumors, saying he is "100 percent in" on staying in New York. 

Maye has spent the first five seasons of his career with the Jets. However, his contract is expiring and there have been no talks between the veteran and the Jets about a long-term extension, according to Vacchiano. 

The Florida product is expected to earn between $13 million and $14 million on his next deal, which would put him among the NFL's highest-paid safeties. Seattle Seahawks star Jamal Adams is the league's most expensive safety with an average annual salary of $17.5 million.

Maye has appeared in just four games this season, recording two passes defensed, one sack, 35 tackles, three tackles for a loss and one quarterback hit. 

Fowler mentioned the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams as potential suitors for Maye. The Bucs are dealing with an injury to Richard Sherman and several other players in the secondary, including Sean Murphy-Bunting, who is on IR with an elbow injury. 

The Rams, meanwhile, could use some depth behind Jordan Fuller, Taylor Rapp and Jalen Ramsey. However, it's unclear if the Bucs or Rams are interested in adding Maye. 

The Jets are 1-5 on the season entering Sunday's game against the Cincinnati Bengals. While wide receiver Jamison Crowder has also been linked in trade speculation, head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Thursday that New York isn't looking for a "fire sale" at the deadline just because it's struggling this year.  

The New York Jets remain optimistic about rookie quarterback Zach Wilson's status for their Week 10 clash with the Buffalo Bills, according to The Athletic's Connor Hughes.

Because of that, New York reportedly won't yet place Wilson on injured reserve because of his knee injury. On Monday, Jets head coach Robert Saleh said his starting QB was battling a sprained PCL that could leave him sidelined for two to four weeks.

An IR designation would force Wilson to miss at least three games, so pulling the trigger on that now would rule him out against the Bills.

Even if he only misses two weeks, the injury adds to a rough debut for the No. 2 overall pick. Through six games, he has thrown for 1,168 yards, four touchdowns and an NFL-high nine interceptions.

With Wilson out, Mike White is in line to make his first NFL start Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The 26-year-old went 20-of-32 for 202 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Week 7 against the New England Patriots.

The Jets acquired Joe Flacco to back up White and solidify their depth at quarterback, and the veteran signal-caller is confident he won't just be holding a clipboard.

"I've played long enough to be able to adapt as much as I can on the fly and be ready as soon as possible," he told reporters. "I think I see myself playing here at some point in the next couple weeks."

Wilson will presumably run the offense again when he's healthy enough to return. Until that happens, though, the Jets' quarterback battle could be wide open and give White and Flacco something to play for.

The New York Jets could be without one of their key offensive playmakers as Corey Davis' status is "not looking good" for Sunday's Week 8 game against the Cincinnati Bengals after suffering an injury in Thursday's practice.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh provided the update Friday:

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network reported Davis is dealing with a "hip flexor issue."

With the Jets entering a new era under Saleh, the front office spent much of the offseason revamping the offense for the first-year head coach. Quarterback Zach Wilson was the biggest addition with the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL draft. 

Davis was New York's marquee free-agent signing. The Western Michigan alum signed a three-year, $37.5 million contract in March. He joined the Jets after spending the previous four seasons with the Tennessee Titans. 

The results on the field haven't paid off for Davis or the Jets. Davis had a promising start with 97 yards and two touchdowns in Week 1, but he had just 49 yards on seven receptions in the next two games combined. New York scored a total of 20 points through its first three games. 

Davis did bounce back in Week 4 with 111 yards and one touchdown on four catches in New York's 27-24 upset win over the Tennessee Titans. 

The biggest problem for the Jets has been Wilson thus far. The rookie threw at least one interception in each of his first five games and has only thrown for more than 250 yards twice. He's now out for 2-4 weeks because of a right knee injury suffered last week against the New England Patriots.

Originally taken with the No. 5 pick in the 2017 draft, Davis had the best season of his career last year. The 26-year-old caught 65 passes for 984 yards and five touchdowns. 

The Jets need Davis to play at a high level if they want Wilson to eventually take steps forward this season. His absence leaves a huge void on the outside that will likely be filled by Keelan Cole.

Cole ranks second on the team with just 166 receiving yards on eight receptions.

The New York Jets appear unwilling to sell some of their best players at the trade deadline despite an abysmal 1-5 start to the 2021 season. 

Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters Wednesday that general manager Joe Douglas won't force a move just because the team is underperforming this year. 

Saleh said, per Brian Costello of the New York Post:

"I'm in complete lockstep with Joe with regards to making every decision that we need to make that's in the best interest of this organization and the future of it and the direction we're trying to go. So, if it's something that will help us, great. If it's not, great. Forcing things is not Joe's forte, he is very deliberate, he communicates with us all the time.

"So, I love the way he goes about his business and I love his process. But I'm with Joe. If it's something that's going to help us, awesome. But I also know we're not looking for a fire sale either."

While the Jets don't plan to be sellers at the deadline, that doesn't mean Douglas won't be making calls. The 45-year-old has been willing to listen to offers for players in the past. For example, the Jets took calls on quarterback Sam Darnold before trading him to the Carolina Panthers ahead of the 2021 season. 

Several players have already been linked in trade rumors, including safety Marcus Maye and wide receiver Jamison Crowder, both of whom probably aren't in the Jets' long-term plans and would net New York a solid return. 

Maye, 28, will become an unrestricted free agent at the end of this season if the Jets don't use the franchise tag on him again. He was understandably frustrated when he and the Jets failed to come to terms on a long-term extension during the offseason, and his agent also recently hinted via Twitter that he would welcome a trade. 

 Maye has two passes defensed, one sack, 35 tackles, one tackle for a loss and one quarterback hit in four games this season.

However, Maye insists he doesn't want to be moved next week, telling reporters earlier this month, "Every time I'm in this building, I'm 100 percent. Every time I'm on the field, I'm 100 percent. I'm going to be with my guys no matter what."

Crowder, meanwhile, has his three-year, $28.5 million contract expiring after this season. He has 15 catches for 119 yards and a touchdown in three games this season. 

The Jets have primarily relied on Corey Davis, Keelan Cole and Braxton Berrios at wideout this season. New York is also expecting players like Denzel Mims and Elijah Moore to be more of a factor in the receiving game in the future, leaving Crowder out of the picture.

Crowder told reporters before the Jets' loss to the New England Patriots last weekend that he wasn't concerned with being moved, saying, “It’s just something that I don’t pay attention to. Obviously, it’s a part of the business."

Douglas has less than a week to decide what he wants to do with players like Maye and Crowder. If he decides not to sell, the Jets could risk losing those players for nothing at the end of the season.  

New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh announced Wednesday that Mike White will start at quarterback in Sunday's Week 8 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Zach Wilson will miss the contest with a knee injury.

Joe Flacco, who was acquired in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday, is away from the team for personal reasons and isn't expected to practice until Friday. It's unclear whether he'll be ready to handle the backup role by Sunday.

"We'll see how it goes," Saleh told reporters.

Josh Johnson is on the practice squad and could be called up if Flacco is unavailable.

White, a 2018 fifth-round pick of the Dallas Cowboys, made his first regular-season NFL appearance to replace the injured Wilson in Sunday's blowout loss to the New England Patriots.

The 26-year-old Western Kentucky product completed 20 of his 32 throws for 202 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

His first career start will come against the Bengals' 17th-ranked pass defense (245.9 passing yards allowed per game).

Wilson, who ranks 31st in ESPN's Total QBR through his first six career starts, is expected to miss between two and four weeks while recovering from a sprained PCL in his right knee.

Flacco, 36, is best remembered for his remarkable play during the 2012 NFL playoffs when he threw 11 touchdowns and no interceptions while leading the Baltimore Ravens to the Super Bowl XLVII title. He's otherwise been a mostly average quarterback, as evidenced by his career 84.1 passer rating.

The New Jersey native made five appearances (four starts) for the Jets last season, tossing six TDs and three picks, as part of a one-year stay before leaving to sign with the Eagles in free agency.

Saleh didn't provide any further details about Flacco's initial absence, but he noted the Jets knew he wouldn't be available right away when they made the trade, per Al Iannazzone of Newsday.

After Sunday's clash with the Bengals, the Jets have a short turnaround ahead of a Thursday Night Football road game against the Indianapolis Colts in Week 9, which would make it difficult to engineer any type of quarterback change.

Wilson could return as early as Week 10 against the Buffalo Bills, which led reporters to question why the Jets would trade for Flacco:

In the big picture, New York owns a 1-5 record and is in imminent danger of an early exit from the AFC playoff race if it doesn't turn its season around in short order.

New York Jets owner Woody Johnson voiced his support for head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas on Tuesday.

According to NFL Network's Mike Garafolo, Johnson said at the NFL fall meeting that he has "unwavering, steadfast confidence" in Douglas, Saleh and the rest of the coaching staff amid a 1-5 start.

Johnson added:  "We will get it right. … Just a very young team with a 22-year-old quarterback. He's seeing things for the first time."

Johnson referenced rookie quarterback Zach Wilson, who was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft out of BYU.

Wilson has had an up-and-down rookie campaign thus far, completing just 57.5 percent of his passes for 1,168 yards, four touchdowns and a league-high nine interceptions, but he has shown flashes of brilliance as well.

In a Week 4 upset of the Tennessee Titans, Wilson threw for a career-high 297 yards to go along with two touchdowns and one pick.

Wilson suffered a sprained PCL in Sunday's 54-13 loss to the New England Patriots, and he is expected to miss two to four weeks. That means the inexperienced Mike White will likely start in his place with recently reacquired veteran Joe Flacco serving as the backup.

Saleh, who is in his first season as an NFL head coach, was widely heralded as a great hire by the Jets.

Prior to joining Gang Green, Saleh was the defensive coordinator of the San Francisco 49ers from 2017-20, and he helped lead the Niners to a Super Bowl appearance in 2019.

The Jets hired Douglas as their GM two years ago after he served as the Philadelphia Eagles' vice president of player personnel from 2016-19.

Some of Douglas' biggest moves since becoming GM include trading safety Jamal Adams to the Seattle Seahawks and drafting the likes of Wilson, offensive tackle Mekhi Becton and guard Alijah Vera-Tucker in the first round over the past two years.

There is understandably some impatience in New York regarding the Jets because they haven't reached the playoffs since 2010, which is the longest active playoff drought in the NFL.

That drought isn't likely to end any time soon, and it will indeed require patience to see if Saleh, Douglas and Wilson are the right ones to get the Jets back on track.

After losing rookie starting quarterback Zach Wilson to a sprained PCL for at least the next two games, the New York Jets are turning to a familiar face.

The Jets acquired quarterback Joe Flacco—who spent the 2020 season with them—from the Philadelphia Eagles for a conditional sixth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft on Monday. ESPN's Adam Schefter reported the pick could turn into a fifth-rounder depending on Flacco's playing time.

NFL Network's Mike Garafolo first reported the deal.

Flacco primarily served as the backup to quarterback Sam Darnold last season. When Darnold missed time because of injury, Flacco played in five games with four starts. He threw for career lows of 864 yards and six touchdowns. He has not appeared in a game this season for Philadelphia.

Flacco is a 14-year NFL veteran with 175 career starts. Drafted by the Baltimore Ravens in 2008, he helped lead the team to victory in Super Bowl XLVII and was named the game's MVP.

Jets head coach Robert Saleh confirmed on Monday that Wilson will miss two to four weeks after suffering the injury in New York's Week 7 54-13 blowout loss to the New England Patriots. The 2021 No. 2 overall pick has thrown for 1,168 yards, four touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 57.5 percent of his passes.

Wilson was replaced by backup Mike White in the loss to the Patriots. In his first-ever regular-season appearance, White threw for 202 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions. Before trading for Flacco, Saleh told reporters the team has "a lot of faith" in White as its starting quarterback.

Flacco will likely compete for playing time immediately as he has some familiarity with Mike LaFleur's offense. NFL Network's Tom Pelissero noted that Flacco's time with the Denver Broncos in 2019 under offensive coordinator Rich Scangarello, who's also from the Kyle Shanahan tree, should help get him up to speed quickly.

The Jets, who are 1-5, will be back in action on Sunday against the 5-2 Cincinnati Bengals at MetLife Stadium.