Jets will reportedly start QB Tim Boyle vs. Dolphins, move Zach Wilson to bench

The New York Jets will have a new starting quarterback when they take the field in Week 12.

According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Jets will start Tim Boyle at quarterback when they play the Miami Dolphins on Friday, with Zach Wilson moving to the bench.

Boyle, 29, is a career backup who is on his fourth team in five seasons. He’s appeared in 18 total games since signing with the Green Bay Packers as an undrafted free agent in 2014, but has just three career starts. All three came in 2021 when Boyle filled in for Jared Goff, and over those games he completed 61 of 94 passes for 526 yards, with three touchdowns and six interceptions.

With vets like Joe Flacco and even Carson Wentz already snapped up by other QB-needy teams, starting Boyle is one of the only options left for head coach Robert Saleh and his staff. They’ve stuck with Wilson for so long that it’s likely too late for them to change the direction of their season, but continuing to start him would only further demoralize Wilson, the rest of the team, and the fans.

Putting Boyle out there may not significantly change the Jets’ trajectory, but it does change the one thing they’re truly in control of: the guy under center. Whether that will be good or bad won’t be known until after time runs out in the fourth quarter Friday night (or even beyond), but at the very least there will be a new face for people to blame.

This story will be updated.