HC Robert Saleh told reporters Tuesday that Jets QB Zach Wilson would not clear concussion protocol in time for the Jets' matchup with the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium on Thursday. QB Trevor Siemian will start for the second-straight game.
Wilson has been at the Jets' facility Monday and Tuesday ,but continued to experience concussion symptoms, which kept him out of the Jets 30-28 win over the Commanders last Sunday. In that matchup, Siemian completed 27-of-49 attempts for 217 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception.
"We will see," Saleh said about Wilson's status for the Jets' Week 18 game at New England. "The most important thing is for him to get rid of all these symptoms and progress. That is first and foremost."
Against Washington Siemian earned his first win as a starter since 2017 when he played for the Broncos. He found a way to feed the ball to talented tailback Breece Hall. The second year RB had for a season-high 191 all-purpose yards and 2 touchdowns – the first multi-score game of his career.
In just his 22nd game, Hall had 95 or more yards rushing (96) and receiving yard (95) for the second time. Only Hall of Famer RB Walter Payton has more than two similar games, and his three came over 190 games.
"Trevor did some nice things in the game," Saleh said. "And he has got so much playtime under his belt that it was great to have a conversation with him and hear his recognition that he could have done even better. So obviously, it is a tight week, but he will prepare that way he needs to."
The Jets offense has a short week to prepare for a Browns defense that ranks first in yards allowed (260 per game), first downs allowed (14.3 per game) and is second in takeaways (32).
"They play their front four, just like a lot of parallels to use," Saleh said. "Their front four gets after it, Myles Garrett is as good as anybody in football. Za'Darius [Smith] is having a really nice year. Coach [Jim] Schwartz does as good of a job as anybody, in terms of game planning and mixing up his coverages and having the perfect balance of coverage, coverage, coverage, bring the house, and making you very uncomfortable. Not only as a play caller, but as players because you're never quite sure. But they're doing a really nice job. They're playing fast, they're opportunistic, and they've had some games where they have just absolutely abused people so it's going to be a challenge."
He added about Hall going against Cleveland: "There's going to be a lack of space, that's for darn sure. But it's going to be gritty, it's going to be grimy and just having the same mentality that he's taken over the last few weeks of finding every yard he can and guys being efficient, communicating and being violent."
While Wilson won't be practicing, Aaron Rodgers, who the Jets added to the active roster last Thursday, will.
Tuesday, on his weekly appearance with "The Pat McAfee Show," the future Hall of Fame signal caller said that he asked to be place on injured reserve, but was "overruled" and added to the active roster. Saleh and GM Joe Douglas, with the intentions of doing what was best of the team, elected to add Rodgers to the active roster and the move has had a positive effect.
"Having him around is a plus," Saleh said. "Having him on the practice field, and he loves the practice field, with his juice and his energy has been great. Even Friday leading up to the Washington game, he was running all the scout team reps and there was all the smack talk with the defense, and they got into it. Having him at practice was just a net positive for us."
