New York Jets starting quarterback Zach Wilson underwent successful knee surgery on Tuesday, according to multiple reports. Wilson underwent a meniscus trim in his right knee, which represented the best-case scenario heading into surgery. Wilson’s timetable for a return remains complicated, however.

Wilson was also diagnosed with a bone bruise, which requires rest. The meniscus will also keep Wilson off of his feet for a few weeks. All signs point to veteran journeyman Joe Flacco starting the Jets’ Week 1 contest against the Baltimore Ravens. The Jets should continue being cautious with Wilson’s health.

It marks the second consecutive season Wilson has suffered a knee injury that will force him to miss time. Wilson suffered a sprained PCL in his right knee in a Week 7 defeat to the New England Patriots last season. The injury caused Wilson to miss four contests. Wilson shouldn’t miss considerable action currently, but his timeline remains unpredictable.

Jets fans may be frustrated by another regular-season stint on the sidelines for Wilson, but resting the former BYU product until he’s deemed fully healthy would be understandable. The Jets won’t want to gamble with the health of their franchise quarterback. It’s an eerily similar situation the same brass was forced to make last season. The 2022 iteration of the Jets appears better prepared to remain competitive in Wilson’s absence.

“We feel like we have three starting quarterbacks,” Jets head coach Robert Saleh said in relation to Flacco and Mike White.

Should Wilson miss regular-season time, the aforementioned Flacco would be in line to start against his former Ravens team in Week 1. Could a classic revenge game be on tap?

Flacco received first-team reps during Tuesday’s practice as a result. Flacco completed 14-of-17 passing attempts while throwing four touchdowns, per media members in attendance. It was referred to as one of the Jets’ better days of practice. Flacco has shown a good command of Mike LaFleur’s offense throughout training camp.

At this stage of his career, Flacco is an appropriate game manager that can lean on the one-two punch of Breece Hall and Michael Carter in the Jets’ backfield. When forced to sling the pigskin, Flacco could find success targeting the likes of Elijah Moore, Tyler Conklin, and Garrett Wilson. The Ravens made several additions to their secondary this offseason, but it’s worth acknowledging they allowed a league-high 278.9 passing yards per contest in 2021. Flacco can conceivably exploit their passing defense given the abundance of weapons at the Jets’ disposal.

If the Jets are to experience any resemblance of success, it’s imperative they keep Wilson healthy for the long haul. If keeping Wilson inactive for Week 1 (and slightly longer, if necessary) gives them a better chance at doing that throughout the course of a grueling 17-game season, then this is a no-brainer decision for Saleh and his trusted confidants. The Jets will handle the situation with patience.

It’s of the utmost importance that Saleh and his staff approach Wilson’s situation with great caution. The long-term health of their franchise quarterback may rely on it. The Jets have legitimate aspirations in 2022. Wilson’s injury offers a short-term setback, but it would be a shame to witness their hopes dwindle down the stretch because they rushed their face-of-the-franchise back a little too early.