Who are the New York Jets' backup QBs? Details explored as Zach Wilson is benched in Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season

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Jets' QB options explored as Zach Wilson is benched in Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season

The New York Jets are in the middle of one of their best seasons in recent history, but a quarterback issue threatens to derail their progress. Zach Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, has not played well this season, but the team has won despite it.

Following a poor loss against their divisional rivals the New England Patriots, Wilson's time as QB1 is up, at least for now. Wilson had a torrid time out against the Patriots and an even worse press conference in the immediate aftermath.

As such, the Jets coaching staff decided to bench the second-year Pro, giving Mike White the keys to the franchise for the immediate future. So now, let's check out the New York Jets' current backups.

At the moment, the New York Jets quarterback depth chart reads: Mike White as QB1, Joe Flacco as QB2, and Zach Wilson as QB3.

More about New York Jets QBs Mike White and Joe Flacco

Mike White is the new Jets starting quarterback, an interesting development. The Kentucky University alum was taken in the fifth round by the Dallas Cowboys in the 2018 draft. However, he never played a snap for the franchise.

He was picked up by the Jets before the 2021 NFL season and played four games, putting up a stat line of 953 passing yards, five touchdowns, and eight interceptions. White is an interesting prospect and it remains to be seen whether he'll make this spot his own.

Joe Flacco is the most experienced quarterback in the Jets' QB room. The former Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl-winning QB has played in the NFL for fifteen seasons. Flacco used to be one of the most accurate gunslingers in his heyday, even though he has been a backup in New York for the past three seasons. Joe Flacco is an excellent insurance blanket just in case Mike White and Zach Wilson don't pan out like the Jets hope.

How the mighty have fallen, as Zach Wilson was lauded coming into the 2021 NFL Draft as the best player not named Trevor Lawrence. In just his second season, he has been demoted to QB3 by a team that spent a second-overall pick on him.

Wilson cannot say he did not see this coming, and he faces a battle to reclaim his QB1 spot before the end of the regular season. His 2022 stats of 1,279 passing yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions in seven games is not good, and he has paid for these numbers with the starting role.

How are the New York Jets performing this season?

The New York Jets are currently having one of their best seasons in a while. The franchise is heading into a Week 12 matchup against Chicago with a 6-4 record. So far, the Jets have pulled off notable wins against the Miami Dolphins, Green Bay Packers, and Buffalo Bills. The only painful blemishes on their record are the two losses against New England.

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