Did Zach Wilson avoid a major knee injury?
May 7, 2021; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson during rookie minicamp. Mandatory Credit: New York Jets/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports
New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson went down during Friday’s preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles with a non-contact knee injury. However, a potentially serious injury may have been avoided.
Near the end of the first quarter, Wilson came up limping after scrambling for a first down and cutting off of his right leg (see video here).
Jets head coach Robert Saleh told reporters after the game that the team will not know the full extent of Wilson’s injury until he gets an MRI on Saturday. But he did throw in some positive news for Jets fans.
According to multiple reports, Saleh said that initial testing on Wilson’s knee revealed that the 23-year-old’s ACL is still intact.
Saleh said the initial test on the knee indicated the ACL is intact but they won’t know until he gets an MRI tomorrow
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) August 13, 2022
While watching video of the injury, former Chargers team doctor Dr. David Chao tweeted that it looked like Wilson tore his ACL. Further testing could still reveal a tear, which would likely end Wilson’s season.
ESPN’s Dianna Russini reported on Friday that Wilson may have suffered a PCL injury, which the Jets hope would entail a recovery period of just a few weeks. According to Russini, the team’s concern is that Wilson re-injured the sprained PCL that kept him off the field for a few weeks last season.
While the Jets will wait for the MRI tomorrow to get more answers on Zach Wilson’s knee situation, sources share the early thought is it could be a PCL injury. More definitive answers coming but there’s hope among the team it could just be a few weeks of recovery.
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 13, 2022
A source added this is the same knee Zach Wilson injured last October when he sprained his PCL, which sidelined him for a few weeks.
A re-injured PCL is their concern.— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) August 13, 2022
Wilson has a lot to prove on the field in his sophomore season. The former No. 2 overall pick finished with 2,334 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 13 games last season. A serious injury could significantly hamper Wilson’s growth in what could be a pivotal year for his development.