It won’t be Justin Fields vs. Zach Wilson on Sunday when the Bears take on the Jets. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, Wilson has officially been benched.
Wilson, the former second overall pick, was 5-2 as a starter this season. Granted, he had a wealth of talent around him, including a dominant defense that allowed three points in last week’s loss. Still, coming off a brutal outing against the Patriots, where Wilson completed nine passes and failed to take accountability, it’s a move that’s not a complete shocker.
Earlier this week, Jets head coach Robert Saleh remained noncommittal to Wilson, and now he’s made the decision to bench him. Saleh announced that Mike White will start against the Bears on Sunday.
Breaking: During a team meeting minutes ago, Jets players were informed that Zach Wilson is not starting Sunday's game vs. the Chicago Bears, sources tell ESPN.
Wilson — who had a 5-2 record as a starting QB this season, with both losses coming vs. the Pats — is being benched. pic.twitter.com/fdl3mBmIHq
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 23, 2022
Interestingly enough, New York in benching Wilson in a game that could feature Fields, who the Jets passed on for Wilson. It’s a decision that looks bad in every way after Fields has emerged as the best QB from the 2021 draft class.
Granted, Fields isn’t a lock to play in Sunday’s game. He’s dealing with a left shoulder injury suffered in a Week 11 loss to the Falcons. We’ll find out more about Fields’ status for Sunday when the Bears release their first injury report on Wednesday.
If Fields doesn’t play, we’ll be in for a QB matchup between Chicago’s Trevor Siemian and New York’s Mike White. Strap in, folks.