Joe Flacco is 37 years old and the New York Jets' No. 2 quarterback behind Zach Wilson this season. But Jets coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday that the former Super Bowl MVP still has what it takes to be a starter in the NFL.

“Joe Flacco is a starting quarterback in this league,” Saleh said without hesitation. “He’s really, really talented.”

Saleh made the statement to show how fortunate the Jets are to have Flacco behind Wilson, that he’s not a typical backup quarterback nor a veteran who’s hanging on in the league.

“He should be, in my opinion, he could start in this league, I believe it,” Saleh said. “Sometimes this league has a tendency to pigeonhole people or put labels on people and then their opportunities get limited.”

Flacco was the Baltimore Ravens' starting quarterback from 2008 until he lost the job to Lamar Jackson 10 games into the 2018 season. He started eight games the following season with the Denver Broncos and was a backup with the Philadelphia Eagles and Jets the past two seasons.

In seven games (five starts) filling in for Sam Darnold (2020) and Wilson (2021) with the Jets, Flacco has thrown nine touchdowns and only three interceptions. And while Wilson has had some extreme ups and downs during training camp these first two weeks, Flacco has been slinging the ball with confidence and accuracy, making a string of big plays with the second-team offense.

Saleh said Flacco understands his role and is a valuable resource for Wilson and Mike White, the Jets' other young quarterback, to tap into on a regular basis.

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“He’s been great, Joe Cool,” Saleh said. “His presence, his demeanor, the way he goes about his business, he’s fantastic. He’s an open book. You just need to ask him.”

Flacco has been in Wilson’s shoes, the young starting quarterback. But unlike Wilson, who struggled mightily completing 55.6 percent of his passes and throwing 11 interceptions to nine touchdowns last season, Flacco led the Ravens to an 11-5 record as a rookie, throwing for nearly 3,000 yards and 14 touchdowns.

He also has been where Wilson wants to be. Flacco led the Ravens to six playoff appearances, three AFC Championship Games and a win over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl XLVII. Including the playoffs, he has won 108 games. He has thrown 227 touchdowns and passed for more than 41,000 yards.

Barring an injury to Wilson, Flacco likely won’t start a game this season and build on those impressive stats. But that doesn’t mean he’s not capable of being a QB1 still. Just ask Robert Saleh.