The New York Jets still plan to acquire quarterback Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers but also aren’t giving up on 2021 first-round draft pick Zach Wilson.
“Ideally, and the Jets know pulling this off will be tricky, Wilson would back up Rodgers for a year or two, develop in the background and be in position to take over for him in 2024 or ’25, depending on how much longer the current Packer/likely-soon-to-be Jet wants to play,” Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer wrote for a piece published Tuesday. “The Jets, for their part, think he needs it. And it sounds like Wilson is pretty open to the idea of learning from Rodgers (with whom he has a relationship) for the time being.”
Wilson acknowledged last fall he grew up “trying to replicate” Rodgers, and multiple individuals have since mentioned that the two are at least friendly with each other. During the NFL combine this past winter, general manager Joe Douglas told reporters that those within the Jets “still feel strongly that Zach is gonna be able to hit his ceiling.”
Wilson failed to impress this past season when healthy and was benched in November due to lackluster play coupled with a poor attitude. Head coach Robert Saleh demoted the 23-year-old again before Week 17, and many understandably wondered at that time if Saleh and Douglas had already given up on the No. 2 pick from the 2021 draft.
According to ESPN stats, Wilson ended the 2022 regular season ranked last among qualified players with a 54.5% completion percentage. He threw six touchdown passes and seven interceptions across nine games.
Breer pointed out that Wilson reported Monday for the start of the team’s offseason program, but the situation is hardly ideal for any signal-caller. The Jets aren’t hiding that they unofficially have Rodgers atop their depth chart, but it’s possible no trade will occur before June 1 at the earliest.
That leaves Wilson as the club’s presumed QB1 until further notice.
