Joe Flacco, Mike White out due to COVID vs. Texans

The New York Jets will be without two more quarterbacks this week when they play the Houston Texans thanks to close contact COVID-19

The New York Jets have been put in a difficult position this week as both Mike White and Joe Flacco have been put onto the COVID-19/Reserve list.

Both players were in close contact with someone who had tested positive for COVID-19 and moved to the list as a result of that. Flacco has publically said he is not vaccinated, and while White has not weighed in on that question publically, the current procedure he is going through would imply that he is also unvaccinated.

The Jets had already publically announced that Zach Wilson would be the starting quarterback in this Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans more than 12 hours before this news broke. However, now that White and Flacco are unavailable, Wilson’s backup will be Josh Johnson, the fourth quarterback on the depth chart.

The Jets and Texans are battling for the second overall draft pick in the 2022 NFL Draft

The Jets and Texans are currently in a three-way tie, alongside the Jacksonville Jaguars, for last place in the AFC. Where none of them seem likely to overtake the Detroit Lions for the true last place in the NFL, they are all in play for the No. 2 overall pick. The winner between the Jets and Texans will essentially eliminate themselves from that competition and elevate themselves into competition with the rest of the three-win teams in the league.

The Texans are still in the midst of the mess involving Deshaun Watson, meaning they need to draft a quarterback. Because this draft is so light on quarterback talent, the Texans have to be in the early picks to guarantee that they can get the best pick possible.

Meanwhile, the Jets picked up Wilson in last year’s draft, and with Robert Saleh at head coach, their drafting focus should be defense. If the Jets want a Kayvon Thibodeaux or Derek Stingley, they need to stay in that top-three pick range to guarantee it.