Is Zach Wilson playing this week? Update on Jets QB for Week 16 vs Commanders

Zach Wilson was intended to serve as the New York Jets' backup quarterback for the 2023 NFL season. When Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles injury just four plays into their first game, Wilson was thrust back into the starting role. He has started 11 of the Jets' 14 games this year, but he is scheduled to be absent from their Week 16 matchup with the Washington Commanders.

Head coach Robert Saleh announced during his press conference on Friday morning that Wilson is still recovering from a concussion and will be unavailable against the Commanders.

In his absence, Saleh has named Trevor Siemian as the Jets' starter.

What happened to Zach Wilson?

Wilson injury

In the first half of the New York Jets' Week 15 game against the Miami Dolphins, Zach Wilson was forced to exit the game early after reportedly suffering a concussion. He was unable to return to the contest after being placed in the NFL's official concussion protocols.

He was unable to clear them in time for their Week 16 game against the Washington Commanders and has already been ruled out.

The timing of the injury is extremely unfortunate for Wilson, who was coming off of the best game of his entire career in the week prior. He exceeded 300 passing yards for just the third time ever, but it was the first time he did so with multiple touchdowns and no interceptions in a Jets victory.

With an abbreviated follow-up game, it will be hard to tell if he had turned the corner or if the performance was simply a fluke.

Will Zach Wilson be with the Jets next year?

Zach Wilson's future is in doubt

When the New York Jets selected Zach Wilson with the second-overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft, it came with a standardized rookie contract. The deal keeps him with the franchise for four years and also includes a fifth-year team option. The Jets' decision on the option will need to be made official during the upcoming offseason.

This means that Wilson still has another full season with the Jets on his contract even after the 2023 NFL season concludes. Of course, they will have the option to either trade him or cut him instead of playing out that final year, but that seems to be an unlikely scenario.

It's more realistic that the Jets will decline his fifth-year team option, but allow him to once again serve as a backup for Aaron Rodgers next year before potentially becoming a free agent in 2025.