NFL Player News

Head coach Robert Saleh announced Monday that Boyle will serve as the Jets' starting quarterback for Friday's game against the Dolphins.

Confirming media reports from earlier Monday, Saleh said that Boyle will step in as the Jets' top signal-caller this week as a replacement for Zach Wilson, who will be active as the No. 3 quarterback against Miami while practice-squad member Trevor Siemian handles the top backup role. While the Jets appear unlikely to turn the offense back over to Wilson anytime soon on the heels of a three-game losing streak, Boyle won't necessarily be guaranteed any starts beyond Friday, especially with a battle-tested veteran in Siemian waiting in the wings. The 29-year-old Boyle entered the professional ranks in 2018 but has made just 18 appearances (three starts) during his NFL career. Between stops with the Packers, Lions, Bears and Jets, Boyle has completed 73 of 120 passes (60.8 percent) for 5.1 yards per attempt and a 3:9 TD:INT while offering little production as a rusher.

Head coach Robert Saleh said Monday that Wilson will be active as the Jets' No. 3 quarterback for Friday's game against the Dolphins, Andy Vasquez of The Bergen Record reports.

Multiple reports surfaced earlier Monday indicating that Tim Boyle would supplant Wilson as the team's starting quarterback, but Wilson's drop to third on the depth chart wasn't made official until Saleh spoke to the media. The Jets will either elevate Trevor Siemian from the practice squad or sign him to the 53-man roster, and he'll suit up as the top backup while Boyle takes over as the starter. According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, Saleh noted that no thought was given to cutting Wilson after the third-year signal-caller was benched midway through Sunday's 32-6 loss to the Bills, and his future with the organization will be dealt with in the offseason. Since being selected with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, the 24-year-old Wilson has completed 56.6 percent of his passes for 6.3 yards per attempt and a 21:25 TD:INT over 32 games (31 starts).

Coach Robert Saleh announced Monday that Siemian will be the Jets' backup quarterback to Tim Boyle in Friday's game against the Dolphins, Andy Vasquez of The Bergen Record reports.

Siemian has been biding his time on the practice squad since Aaron Rodgers went down with his torn Achilles, but he'll have a chance to be active in Week 12. There's a decent chance we see Siemian playing before season's end. Zach Wilson will also be active Friday as the third quarterback, according to Saleh.

Saints head coach Dennis Allen said Monday that Carr (shoulder) remains in concussion protocol, Mike Triplett of NewOrleans.Football reports.

Following a Week 11 bye, Carr apparently isn't yet in the clear on the health front after he exited the Saints' Week 10 loss to the Vikings with a right shoulder injury and to undergo a concussion evaluation. Last Monday, Allen told Katherine Terrell of ESPN.com that Carr's shoulder checked out fine after testing, but the fact that the quarterback is in the protocol more than a week later suggests he likely suffered a concussion prior to leaving the loss to Minnesota. Allen didn't specify where exactly Carr stands in the five-step protocol, so it's possible that the veteran signal-caller has already passed some of the steps. Carr thus looks like he'll still have a chance to start Sunday's game against the Falcons, though he may need to put in at least one full practice this week and gain clearance from an independent neurologist before the Saints sign off on him playing.

Head coach Arthur Smith confirmed Monday that Ridder will reclaim starting quarterback duties Sunday against the Saints, and the Falcons plan to stick with the second-year signal-caller as their starter for the rest of the season, Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reports.

Smith's announcement doesn't come as a major surprise, as Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported over the weekend that Ridder was set to move back into the starting role after he had been benched in favor of Taylor Heinicke (hamstring) for the two games leading up to Atlanta's Week 11 bye. Though Heinicke isn't expected to practice this week while he continues to recover from a hamstring strain he sustained Week 10, he lost both of his games as starter and completed just 54.7 percent of his throws for 6.1 yards per attempt in those outings. As such, Heinicke's injury doesn't appear to be the only reason that the Falcons are turning the starting job back over to Ridder, who has fared better from an efficiency standpoint than Heinicke over nine appearances (65.4 percent completion rate, 7.1 YPA) and presents a slight upgrade as a rushing threat (150 yards, four touchdowns on 32 carries). Turnovers (six interceptions, six lost fumbles) have been the main bugaboo for Ridder, but Smith is hopeful that the time on the bench in addition to the confidence the quarterback displayed upon replacing Heinicke late in the Week 10 game will serve as a springboard for Ridder to show improvement coming out of the bye week.

Heinicke (hamstring) isn't expected to practice this week, Joe Patrick of 92-9 The Game Atlanta reports.

While making his second consecutive start in the Falcons' Week 10 loss to the Cardinals, Heinicke was knocked out of the game early due to a hamstring strain and is still in recovery mode following a Week 11 bye. Michael Rothstein of ESPN.com reported over the weekend that the Falcons were planning on restoring Desmond Ridder as their starting quarterback coming out of the bye week, so Heinicke will be limited to a backup role Sunday against the Saints even if he gets the green light to suit up this weekend. The hamstring strain might have been a factor in Heinicke being demoted to the backup role, though he didn't help his case for hanging onto the starting job by completing 29 of 53 pass attempts for 323 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in Falcons losses to the Vikings and Cardinals.

The Jets will start Boyle at quarterback during Friday's divisional matchup against the Dolphins, Tom Pelissero of NFL Network reports.

Boyle replaced Zach Wilson in the second half of Sunday's 32-6 loss to the Bills, and though he completed just seven of 14 passes for 33 yards and one interception, the veteran journeyman will receive an opportunity to command New York's offense. Wilson, for his part, completed seven of 15 passes for 81 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Boyle started three of his five appearances for Detroit back in 2021, per Pelissero, and over the past two seasons he played once for the Bears and then in Sunday's contest for the Jets. In those games, Boyle has thrown for an unimpressive three touchdowns compared to nine interceptions, but this is an offense desperate for any kind of spark. If Boyle again struggles versus Miami's secondary and Jalen Ramsey, who has recorded three interceptions in his last three appearances, it's possible another quarterback change could come quick.

Wilson will move into a backup role for Friday's game against the Dolphins, with the Jets turning to Tim Boyle as their Week 12 starting quarterback, per Rich Cimini of ESPN.com.

The writing appeared to be on the wall for Wilson's removal from the starting role, as he was benched during Sunday's 32-6 loss to the Bills before head coach Robert Saleh said after the game that he was undecided on a Week 12 starter. Since taking over for the injured Aaron Rodgers (Achilles) early in the first quarter of a Week 1 win over the Bills, Wilson completed just 59.2 percent of his passes for 6.1 yards per attempt, six touchdowns and seven interceptions, and he also lost five fumbles. Boyle doesn't have a previous track record of success at the NFL level and presumably will be on a short leash, but even if Boyle ends up being pulled from the starting job at some point, the Jets still could turn to a free agent or a member of another team's practice squad rather than giving Wilson another look.

Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll said Monday that he expects Smith (triceps/elbow) to suit up for Thursday's game against the 49ers, Brady Henderson of ESPN.com reports.

Smith suffered a contusion to the tendon at the bottom of his triceps on his right arm, per Henderson, but the quarterback is expected to play through the issue Week 12. Any negative impact to Smith's accuracy against San Francisco's stout defense could, of course, prove significant, especially on a short week. As such, it will be worth monitoring Smith's status closely in practice.

Head coach Kevin Stefanski said Monday that Thompson-Robinson will start Sunday's game versus Denver, Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer reports.

Thompson-Robinson is set for another week as Cleveland's starter, after he successfully led the team to a 13-10 win over the Steelers while completing 24 of 43 passes for 165 yards, no touchdowns and one interception. He also logged three carries for 20 yards. The rookie fifth-round pick will get another chance to show what he can do Week 12, albeit against a Broncos defense that has improved down the stretch. Still, Thompson-Robinson's rushing abilities provide him fantasy upside even in less favorable matchups.