As expected: Robert Saleh makes QB change after running out of Zach Wilson excuses

The sky was the limit for the New York Jets after the acquisition of Aaron Rodgers prior to the 2023 season. But when Rodgers tore his Achilles on the first play of the season, the Jets were forced to turn to a familiar face. The reigns were handed back to Zach Wilson. Since being selected with the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, Wilson has done little to make the Jets not regret picking him. Other notable picks after Wilson include Ja’Marr Chase, Micah Parsons, and Pat Surtain II.

In his third season as the starter in New York and an off-season learning from an all-time great, Wilson has still failed to produce. Head coach Robert Saleh has shown a willingness to stick with Zach Wilson through his highs and lows (mostly lows), despite it causing tension for the team.

But now, after suffering their worst loss of the year to the Buffalo Bills, where the offense managed to muster only six points, Saleh is forced to pivot away from Wilson in an effort to salvage the Jets season.

Who is Tim Boyle?

On Monday, the Jets announced that Tim Boyle would start Friday in the NFL’s first Black Friday game against the Miami Dolphins. Trevor Seimian will back him up, with Wilson sliding down all the way to the third quarterback. Jets fans can now take a deep breath knowing they won’t have to watch a Zach Wilson-led football team (at least for now). But with that, the question arises, who is their new quarterback?

Tim Boyle signed with the Green Bay Packers in 2018 as an undrafted free agent. His tenure there would last two years, but it overlapped with the Aaron Rodgers and Nathaniel Hackett era. This means he has a better idea of what Hackett wants to do with the offense. In 2021 and 2022, Boyle would briefly be with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears, before joining former teammate Aaron Rodgers in New York.

Boyle has appeared in 18 games, passing for 607 yards, 3 touchdowns, and 9 interceptions. It would be a stretch to say that Boyle will be the reason the Jets win games moving forward, but the Jets hope he can be better than Wilson.

Aaron Rodgers, who is expected to make an unprecedented recovery and return in December, has expressed he will only return if the team is in playoff contention. The Jets (4-6) hope Boyle can do just enough so that their defense can keep them in games to warrant a Rodgers return.