After two horrendous starts, the Jets are making another change at quarterback.
The Jets released Tim Boyle and will sign Brett Rypien off the Seahawks practice squad, according to sources. The Jets turned to Boyle after Zach Wilson got benched during the third quarter of the Week 11 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The team hoped Boyle could ignite their offense, which is 31st in yards (260.1) and 30th in points per game (14.3). However, the Jets were somehow worse with Boyle under center.
During his three games with the Jets, Boyle passed for 360 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. The tipping point came during the Jets’ 13-8 loss to the Falcons.
Boyle missed several open receivers throughout the game. The Jets also failed to score a touchdown for the third time in the last five weeks. Jets coach Robert Saleh eventually benched Boyle for Trevor Siemian during the fourth quarter, hoping to find an offensive spark. However, the offense still failed to find the end zone.
The Jets quarterback position has been a carousel since Aaron Rodgers’ Achilles injury on Sept. 11. Four different quarterbacks have taken snaps for the team through 12 games, which has led to the 4-8 record.
“Timmy, [Tim Boyle] he did some good things,” Saleh said on Monday. “Obviously, there’s always going to be things you want back as a quarterback, as any player, offense, defense, special teams and there are definitely some big-time plays that I think we left out there.
“We had some opportunities, had some explosive momentum-changing plays and he hit on a couple, missed on a couple and that’s going to happen, but at the end of the day, we got to score points, we got to find something to get the ball in the end zone.
“I thought Trevor came in, again, did a couple of good things. Had a good drive going early, on his first drive, but just stalled a couple of times and obviously, at the end of the day, just wasn’t good enough.”
Saleh has yet to name a starting quarterback for Sunday’s game against the Texans. On Monday, a report by The Athletic claimed that Wilson was reluctant to play again for the team after he was benched for a third time in his career.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday, Rodgers was unhappy that the report was leaked out to the public.
“When you use sources, whether intentional or unintentional, try to assassinate someone’s character like that report does with Zach, I have a real hard time with that,” Rodgers said. “You’re basically saying this kid is quitting on the team and doesn’t want to play and is giving the middle finger to the organization.
“He has been through a lot of s–t in the last three years and he has every right to be frustrated and disappointed about it.”
Although Saleh denied the comments, the Jets decided to add Rypien for extra insurance. Rypien is best known for his three seasons with the Broncos (2020-22). Last season, he played under Nathaniel Hackett, who is currently the Jets’ offensive coordinator. During those three seasons, mainly as a backup, Rypien passed for 778 yards, four touchdowns and eight interceptions.
Rypien joined the Rams organization during the offseason but was released in August. He was later added to the team’s practice squad. After Rodgers’ injury, the Jets had interest in signing Rypien, but he was then added to the Rams 53-man roster. Los Angeles eventually released Rypien on Nov. 7 after the team’s 20-3 loss to the Packers. In that game, he completed 13-of-28 for 130 yards and one interception.
The Seahawks signed Rypien to their practice squad on Nov. 10.
