Jets Promote QB Webb To Active Roster, Place TE Sterling On IR

The New York Jets have promoted quarterback Davis Webb from the practice squad to the 53 man roster. To make room on the roster for Webb the Jets have placed tight end Neal Sterling on the injured reserve list.

Neal Sterling suffered his second concussion of the season a few weeks ago and has not practiced since. It is a bad break for Sterling, who won the starting tight end job for the first time in his career out of training camp, only to see his season derailed by head injuries. His future with the Jets is very much in peril, but more importantly his future health is at risk with repeated head trauma.

Davis Webb is a 23 year old, 6’ 3”, 225 pound second year quarterback out of the University of California. Webb was originally drafted by the New York Giants with the 87th overall selection in the third round of the 2017 NFL draft. Webb was beaten out for the backup quarterback job with the Giants this year by rookie Kyle Lauletta, and the Giants subsequently cut him. The Jets then signed Webb to the practice squad, and now he will be active as the backup quarterback for the first time all season in Sunday’s game against the Buffalo Bills.

The promotion of Webb means Sam Darnold will not suit up for Sunday’s game. Josh McCown will be the starter, backed up by Webb. In a game originally billed as a matchup between prized rookie quarterbacks Sam Darnold for the Jets and Josh Allen for the Bills, we will now be treated to an epic battle between McCown and Matt Barkley, whom the Bills signed off the street two weeks ago. Barkley has not played in the NFL since 2016, but the Bills apparently thought more of him than their other option at quarterback, Nathan Peterman.