FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Zach Wilson is back under center for the New York Jets.
Coach Robert Saleh announced Wednesday the second-year quarterback will make his season debut at Pittsburgh on Sunday “if all goes well this week” at practice, six weeks after having knee surgery.
Wilson had been ramping up workouts in recent weeks, but Saleh said Monday the Jets were waiting for the quarterback’s doctors to clear him before making a decision about this week. Wilson was cleared to fully practice Wednesday as New York prepares for its game at Pittsburgh.
Joe Flacco started the first three games of the season, during which the Jets went 1-2 – including a stunning victory at Cleveland two weeks ago when they rallied from a 13-point deficit in the final 1:55.
But New York has struggled with consistency on offense and has held a lead for just 22 seconds – the final moments of the win against the Browns.
Wilson suffered a bone bruise in the preseason opener against Philadelphia on Aug. 12 and needed arthroscopic surgery to repair a torn meniscus. He was initially expected to miss 2 to 4 weeks, but the Jets insisted they wouldn’t rush Wilson back to the field.
CHIEFS: The Kansas City Chiefs are hopeful that Harrison Butker, their big-legged kicker whom they so sorely missed last week in Indianapolis, will be able to play when they face the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday.
The Chiefs used journeyman Matt Ammendola the past two weeks in place of Butker, who sprained his plant ankle when he slipped on the shoddy turf in Arizona in Week 1.
But after a solid job in a win over the Chargers, Ammendola missed an early extra point in Indianapolis and then a chip-shot field goal that would have extended the Kansas City lead to seven.
Instead, the Colts seized the momentum and marched downfield for the go-ahead touchdown in the closing seconds, and the margin in the 20-17 loss for Kansas City wound up being that missed field goal with 8:41 left to play.
BILLS: The Buffalo Bills reinforced their injury-thinned secondary by signing veteran cornerback Xavier Rhodes to the practice squad.
Rhodes, an All-Pro in 2017, has nine seasons of NFL experience, including the previous two years with the Indianapolis Colts. He had three interceptions in 29 starts with the Colts, and was not re-signed after his contract expired in March.
SAINTS: QB Jameis Winston said he’s preparing to start in the NFL’s first international game this year after being held out of practice with a back injury that has plagued him all season.
“They told me I wasn’t practicing. It wasn’t my choice,” Winston said. “I’m preparing like every week – preparing to play.”
Two other starters on the Saints’ offense – wide receiver Michael Thomas and tackle Ryan Ramczyk – also were not at the team’s first practice in London ahead of their game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings.
Winston, who has also dealt with an ankle injury, has been sacked 11 times in three games for New Orleans (1-2).
BROWNS: Defensive end Myles Garrett stayed home to rest and recover from injuries suffered in a car crash as his status for Cleveland’s game on Sunday at Atlanta remains in doubt.
Garrett was not at the team’s facility two days after the All-Pro rolled over his Porsche in a single-car accident on a rural road near his home. He suffered a sprained shoulder, strained biceps, cuts and bruises in the wreck.
Garrett was hospitalized for several hours, and sheriff’s bodycam footage showed him looking dazed while being treated by medical personnel while sitting on the ground near his overturned vehicle.
The team said he cleared concussion protocol.
BUCS: The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who moved their football operations to South Florida to avoid Hurricane Ian, remain hopeful of being able to return home to play the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday night.
The team practiced at the Miami Dolphins’ training facility on Wednesday, describing the experience as different, but insisting the disruption to their routine will not hinder their ability to prepare for the team they beat in the Super Bowl two seasons ago.
Family members, and even some pets, accompanied players and coaches in relocating ahead of the storm making landfall on Florida’s west coast.
NFL executive Jeff Miller said the game was still scheduled to be played in Tampa on Sunday night.
PANTHERS: Coach Matt Rhule said Christian McCaffrey has a quadriceps injury.
McCaffrey doesn’t normally practice on Wednesdays because the team is taking measures to limit his workload given his history of injuries, but this week is a little different as his absence is considered injury-related.
Rhule said McCaffrey’s injury is something that “popped up” after the team’s 22-14 win against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.
Rhule will know about McCaffrey’s status for Sunday’s game against the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday.
CHARGERS: The Los Angeles Chargers placed outside linebacker Joey Bosa on injured reserve with a torn groin.
He will undergo surgery and Coach Brandon Staley said that he is hopeful Bosa can return at some point later in the season.
Bosa tore his groin during the first quarter of last Sunday’s 38-10 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
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