The New York Jets' trade acquisition of quarterback Joe Flacco won't keep Mike White from making his first career start.
Jets coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday that White, who relieved injured starter Zach Wilson last week, will start against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday.
The Jets dealt a conditional 2022 sixth-round draft pick to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday for Flacco in an effort to bolster the quarterback position after Wilson sustained a PCL sprain Sunday against the New England Patriots. For personal reasons, however, Saleh said Flacco won't join the Jets until Friday. That makes his availability for Sunday's game a tricky proposition, although he will participate in team meetings virtually this week.
Saleh said the team was aware when it made the trade that Flacco would not join the team until Friday. The coach added that there is a chance Flacco could be activated for a backup role, but the likelihood is that veteran QB Josh Johnson will be elevated from the practice squad.
Wilson, the rookie No. 2 overall draft pick from BYU, is expected to be out 2-4 weeks. White, a 2018 fifth-round pick out of Western Kentucky, completed 20 of 32 passes for 202 yards in his first career action Sunday against the Patriots. He threw for a touchdown on his first career pass, but subsequently threw a pair of interceptions in a blowout loss.
"We have a lot of faith in Mike [White]," Saleh told reporters.
