Former New York Jets general manager and current ESPN personality Mike Tannenbaum has suggested the club has thus far failed second-year quarterback Zach Wilson.
“Quarterback is a developmental position, and it’s going to take time,” Tannenbaum said about Wilson during “The Sports Junkies” on 106.7 The Fan out of Washington, DC, per Logan Mullen of Audacy. “I look at a guy like Zach Wilson – and I don’t know if things would have been different or not – but clearly if they had brought him along more slowly in New York, maybe the outcome would have been different. But sometimes when these guys are drafted in the top 10, top 15, there’s this sense they’re going to be superstars overnight.”
The Jets originally selected Wilson second overall in the 2021 NFL Draft and then quickly anointed him as a hoped-to-be franchise savior. Most recently, the 23-year-old began his second pro season sidelined with a knee issue, and he then largely failed to impress while on the field.
Jets head coach Robert Saleh temporarily benched Wilson after the signal-caller refused to accept responsibility after a lousy performance in a 10-3 loss at the New England Patriots in Week 11. Wilson eventually returned to action in December but was again relegated to backup duties by the end of the season.
According to ESPN stats, Wilson finished the campaign dead last among qualified players with a 54.5% completion percentage. He appeared in nine games and tossed six touchdown passes and seven interceptions.
Tannenbaum’s take is interesting if only because he’s not the only noteworthy individual within the football community to indicate the Jets haven’t done enough to help Wilson find success at the highest level. In January, Hall of Famer Steve Young said he believed Wilson “needs a big brother” after the Jets and offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur “mutually” agreed to part ways.
That “big brother” ultimately could turn out to be Green Bay Packers star Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers and Wilson reportedly enjoy a good relationship, and it is widely believed the Jets had the four-time NFL Most Valuable Player atop their wish list even before it was reported Monday that free agent Derek Carr was signing with the New Orleans Saints.
Current Jets general manager Joe Douglas said during the NFL Combine last week that he still believes Wilson “has a very high ceiling.” It appears Douglas wants to bring Wilson “along more slowly” behind a proven veteran throughout at least 2023.
