Prior to Sunday’s game against the Patriots, the Jets made the curious move to designate veteran QB Joe Flacco inactive, making Mike White the backup for Zach Wilson.

Head coach Robert Saleh explained the decision after their 22-17 loss, saying they simply want to give White the opportunity to be ready if called upon.

“If Zach ever gets hurt, we’re giving Mike the opportunity there,” Saleh said. “Allow him to practice and to prepare as the second quarterback … Mike is a young guy and we have to know what we have in him, if that opportunity presents itself.”

Saleh confirmed that White will be the backup for the remainder of the season while Flacco will be the third-string quarterback the rest of the way.

White, 27, is set to be an unrestricted free agent after this year, and the Jets do want to know if they have a viable backup on their roster. Flacco, 37, will also be an unrestricted free agent next season.

In addition to making Flacco inactive, QB Chris Streveler was also designated as inactive despite being elevated from the practice squad Saturday. It was another curious move that Saleh said he wouldn’t go into detail about, but he did say that “a couple of things happened” and the decision was made to make him inactive.

White took the Jets world by storm last season after he took over for an injured Wilson, especially after leading New York to an improbable win against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 7. However, it would be the highlights of his career so far, as he went 1-2 in his three starts last season.

The Jets will next take on the Buffalo Bills next Sunday and fans should be prepared to see White dressed on the sidelines for the rest of the year.

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