What is the Timeline for Garrett Wilson's Return to Jets After Knee Injury?

New York Jets head coach Aaron Glenn is leaving the door open for wide receiver Garrett Wilson to return to action at some point this season.

According to ESPN's Rich Cimini, Glenn said Friday that he thinks Wilson will play again before the season is over, although that decision is in the hands of the team's doctors.

Wilson was placed on injured reserve Thursday due to a knee injury. He missed Thursday night's loss to the New England Patriots, and must miss at least three more games before being eligible to return.

The earliest Wilson can possibly return is in Week 15 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Wilson missed the Jets' Week 7 and Week 8 games against the Carolina Panthers and Cincinnati Bengals with a knee ailment before returning to play against the Cleveland Browns in Week 10.

However, he left the Cleveland game in the third quarter and finished with no catches on three targets.

When healthy this season, Wilson has been highly productive as usual, recording 36 receptions for 395 yards and four touchdowns in seven games.

The 25-year-old wideout, who went 10th overall to the Jets in the 2022 NFL draft, entered this season with three consecutive 1,000-yard receiving campaigns to start his career.

Wilson was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2022, and he set career highs across the board last season with 101 catches for 1,104 yards and seven scores.

With Wilson firmly establishing himself as a No. 1 receiver in the NFL, the Jets signed him to a four-year, $130 million contract extension in July.

The most impressive aspect of Wilson's production is that he has done it without the benefit of strong quarterback play.

Zach Wilson was the Jets' primary quarterback over Wilson's first two seasons, followed by an aging Aaron Rodgers in 2024. Justin Fields has slid into that role this season, and he has largely struggled.

With the Jets ranking 26th in the NFL this season with just 20.9 points scored per game, they unsurprisingly have one of the worst records in the league as well at 2-8.

The Jets are essentially already out of the playoff race, and if they continue to lose over the next three weeks, it is fair to wonder if they would consider shutting Wilson down and preserving him for next season.

Until and unless Wilson returns, running back Breece Hall will be the focal point of the offense, but the passing game will be lacking in terms of reliable weapons.

A pair of rookies in tight end Mason Taylor and wide receiver Arian Smith could be among Fields' top targets, along with wideouts John Metchie and Adonai Mitchell, the latter of whom was acquired in the trade deadline deal that sent cornerback Sauce Gardner to the Indianapolis Colts.