Zach Wilson

Offers Come In For Jets’ Zach Wilson

March 25th, 2024 at 2:47pm CST by Sam Robinson

With a $5.45MM guarantee due for Zach Wilson, the Jets are unlikely to receive much in the way of trade compensation for a player on track to become one of the biggest whiffs in modern draft history. But it does appear some interest exists.

Offers have indeed emerged, with Pro Football Talk’s Mike Florio indicating the team has received proposals for the former No. 2 overall pick. These proposals have not intrigued the Jets, and Joe Douglas said Monday (via NFL.com’s Mike Garafolo) the team is not close to hammering out a trade. The Jets gave Wilson permission to seek a trade during the Combine.

Woody Johnson may be a factor in Wilson not being moved. While the compensation being proposed is not known, Florio adds the owner is believed by some as the person preventing a deal from coming to pass. This would certainly be an interesting development, given Johnson’s comments about Wilson’s 2023 ineffectiveness. That said, Johnson was also believed to be the person who stood in the way of the Jets making an effort to acquire a better backup QB — due to the money poured into Aaron Rodgers — once the team’s future Hall of Fame passer went down in Week 1.

While denying he has nixed any trade — instead pointing to any such efforts being Douglas’ call — Johnson said Monday (via the New York Post’s Brian Costello) the Jets will keep Wilson if they cannot find a trade partner. It has long been expected the BYU alum will not be part of the 2024 Jets, and with trade offers potentially in the mix, it would seem the Jets have a way out without releasing the disappointing passer.

“I feel badly about Zach in some ways,” Johnson said. “Last year would have been great, it would have been the first time he could just sit back and watch a master at work. He’s never had that. He’s been in the fire from Day 1. I think that’s what he needs. He needs to be in a place where he can observe for a while. He’s got the skill. He can do everything. There’s a reason we drafted him at No. 2 overall. I have confidence that he’ll get there at some point.”

It is possible teams want the Jets to remain responsible for most of Wilson’s guarantee. Should Johnson have a potential role in Wilson remaining on the Jets, the financial component may be driving that. For now, Wilson would not have an immediate path to playing time as a Jet once again. The team gave Tyrod Taylor a two-year, $12MM deal to back up Rodgers, ending Wilson’s period in the New York spotlight after three woeful seasons.

Rams OC Mike LaFleur “Open” To Zach Wilson Reunion

March 19th, 2024 at 9:06pm CST by Ben Levine

While the Jets gave Zach Wilson permission to seek a trade last month, it’s been a quiet market for the former second-overall pick. However, the quarterback could be a match with his former offensive coordinator.

As Albert Breer of SI.com writes, the Rams are a “logical landing spot” for Wilson. Breer also notes that Rams offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur would be “very open to a reunion.” LaFleur previously served as the Jets OC during Wilson’s first two years in the NFL.

Wilson’s 2023 showing wasn’t any worse than his two years under LaFleur. The coach previously admitted that the organization may have made a mistake immediately starting the quarterback as a rookie. While the former Jets OC placed plenty of blame on the young signal-caller during their time together in New York, LaFleur later conceded that Wilson’s lack of development was also the fault of the coaching staff.

“For two years, we haven’t done our job with him,’’ LaFleur said following the 2022 campaign (via Mark Cannizzaro of the New York Post). “Any player at any position that isn’t producing to the level they’re capable of, as a coach you’ve failed them. There’s a two-way street with it — the player’s got to meet you in the middle with it.”

Ultimately, LaFleur was the one held responsible for the offensive’s shortcomings, with the Jets and the OC agreeing to part ways last offseason. It took less than a month before the coach landed the same job with the Rams.

Breer provides more logic for why Wilson could be a fit in Los Angeles. The writer opines that the quarterback needs a year to “reset,” an opportunity he’d surely have with the Rams. With Jimmy Garoppolo now with the Rams as a QB2 behind Matthew Stafford, Wilson probably wouldn’t see the field in 2024 (barring a funky turn of events during Garoppolo’s two-game suspension).

Wilson was unexpectedly thrust back into the starting lineup following Aaron Rodgers‘ season-ending injury. The QB’s third season as a starter proved to the Jets that it was time to move on. With a divorce all but inevitable, the organization recently granted Wilson permission to find his next home. A possible sixth- or seventh-round pick could be the return, but even with the Jets basically giving him away, teams may be wary of taking on Wilson’s $11MM cap hit.

Jets Give QB Zach Wilson Permission To Seek Trade

February 28th, 2024 at 10:30pm CST by Sam Robinson

Expected for months to be set for a Big Apple departure, Zach Wilson may soon take another step toward that reality. The Jets have given the former No. 2 overall pick permission to seek a trade, Joe Douglas said Wednesday.

Given the trade buzz around Wilson — which includes the underwhelming quarterback looking into potential fits elsewhere — this is not surprising. The Jets will first try to trade the three-year starter, who has been tied to potentially fetching a late-round pick in a swap.

Supplanted as the Jets’ starter by Aaron Rodgers, Wilson had been benched for Mike White previously. The Jets effectively admitted their mistake — not acquiring a veteran option to either challenge Wilson for the QB2 role and not landing one after Rodgers’ Achilles injury — and are ready to move on.

The Jets’ decision comes as the Bears are likely to trade Justin Fields. The No. 3 overall pick from that 2021 draft — Trey Lance — has already been moved, being dealt from the 49ers to the Cowboys, and Mac Jones is certainly on unstable ground with the Patriots. That five-first-rounder 2021 QB class features only one of those players — No. 1 pick Trevor Lawrence — assured of being his team’s starter in 2024.

This separation will bring familiar territory for the Jets, who have seen their repeat investments in first- and second-round QBs fail to produce a long-term option. The team traded Sam Darnold after three seasons and did not re-sign Geno Smith or Mark Sanchez. Christian Hackenberg famously never played an NFL snap. Wilson, of course, goes on this regime’s balance sheet. Choosing the once-fast-rising BYU prospect second overall has done the most to push Douglas and Robert Saleh onto hot seats. The two decision-makers have this year to convince Woody Johnson they are worthy of keeping their jobs.

As of now, it appears unlikely the Jets will resort to cutting Wilson. Doing so would bring a cap charge over $11MM. A possible sixth- or seventh-round pick could be the return here. That obviously would fall well short of what Darnold fetched in 2021 (second-, fourth- and sixth-rounders), but Wilson has faceplanted in New York and is on the verge of becoming one of the game’s biggest modern-era busts. Through 34 games (33 starts), Wilson has completed just 57% of his passes — at 6.3 yards a clip — and is 12-21 as a starter.

Saleh benched Wilson in November 2022, amid concerns in the locker room, and then sat him during a nationally televised Thursday-night game later that year. Summoned once Rodgers went down four plays into his New York tenure, Wilson was again erratic. Saleh benched him for Tim Boyle, though the three-year HC later admitted he always thought Wilson was the most talented option following the Rodgers injury. (The Jets cut Boyle a day after his second start.) That benching led to the rumor circulating that Wilson was hesitant to move back into the starting role. He finished the season out with a concussion.

Rodgers, 40, has said he is planning to play at least two more seasons. His 2023 injury — and previous admission he was 90% retired before changing his stance and joining the Jets last year — should give the team some pause about that timeline. But the Jets are committed to Rodgers, who has significant influence in the building. Johnson went as far as to say the Jets had no backup quarterback last season. Now, it will be a matter of finding a replacement soon and seeing if they can salvage a late-round draft choice for Wilson.

Jets Notes: Adams, OL, Hogan

February 24th, 2024 at 12:19pm CST by Ben Levine

Even before the Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers, the team was busy adding many of the quarterback’s former teammates from Green Bay. With Rodgers expected to be fully healthy heading into the 2024 campaign, the organization is once again expected to pursue some of the veteran’s preferred targets.

However, one major name that may be unrealistic is Davante Adams. Tony Pauline of Sportskeeda.com writes that an Adams-to-Jets move isn’t “remotely possible.” For starters, the Raiders have no real desire to trade their star wideout. The organization values the player’s leadership, and new head coach Antonio Pierce expects the veteran to be a part of their desired “winning culture.”

Further, the Jets would never be willing to meet the asking price for the star wide receiver. If the Raiders would ever consider trading Adams, Pauline believes they’d request New York’s 2024 and 2025 first-round picks. It’s unlikely that the Raiders would accept an offer of a first-round pick and a third-round pick, even if that first was the No. 10 pick in the upcoming draft.

Adams’ stint with the Packers ended before Rodgers’ tenure in Green Bay, and he was sent to Las Vegas to play alongside his college QB, Derek Carr. The two showed their chemistry in 2022, with Adams finishing with 1,516 receiving yards and a league-leading 14 touchdowns. However, the organization moved on from Carr last offseason, and inconsistency at the QB position led to Adams putting up some of his worst numbers in years. The wideout ultimately finished this past season with 103 catches for 1,144 and eight touchdowns, with each of those stats marking his lowest totals since his 12-game performance in 2019.

Because of those declining numbers and the organization’s uncertainty at quarterback, there were some rumblings that Rodgers could look to recruit Adams to New York. For the time being, it sounds like the receiver is staying put.

More notes out of New York…

The Jets have significant holes on their offensive line, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini estimates that the team will pursue two new offensive tackles and a guard. Considering that long shopping list, Cimini expects the team to pursue at least one OL via free agency. The organization could also look to fill one of those holes with their first-round pick, with Cimini pointing to Penn State’s Olumuyiwa Fashanu or Oregon State’s Taliese Fuaga as options.
Following the Jets’ disappointing 2023 campaign, there were a handful of damning reports surrounding the organization’s inner turmoil. According to Pauline, some in the organization believe assistant general manager Rex Hogan was responsible for the leaks. These leaked reports ranged from Zach Wilson’s reluctance to be inserted back into the lineup to coach Robert Saleh‘s excuses for the team’s record. Hogan and the Jets mutually decided to part ways following the season.
Speaking of Wilson, we heard earlier this week that the former first-round pick has started to evaluate trade options. The Jets are all but guaranteed to move on from Wilson this offseason, and it sounds like the organization is giving the QB some say in his next destination.

Latest On Jets QB Zach Wilson

February 18th, 2024 at 10:15pm CST by Rory Parks

It was reported last month that the Jets plan to trade quarterback Zach Wilson, which was not at all surprising given Wilson’s largely disappointing three-year run with the club. Subsequent reports suggesting that the Wilson-Aaron Rodgers relationship was not in a good place, coupled with owner Woody Johnson‘s candid remarks about his team’s quarterback situation, underscored the likelihood of a Wilson exit.

To that end, Wilson himself has begun to evaluate trade options, as Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com recently detailed (subscription required). Gang Green selected Wilson in head coach Robert Saleh‘s first draft with the team, which means Wilson has never worked under an offensive-minded HC; per Fowler, the BYU product is interested in a bench boss with more of an offensive background. It is unclear whether the Jets have granted Wilson permission to seek a trade at this point, though the fact that Wilson is likely not near the top of the wishlist for QB-needy clubs means that a deal may not be consummated before the draft anyway.

Wilson, who will turn 25 before the start of the 2024 regular season, was supposed to serve as Rodgers’ backup in 2023. But when Rodgers’ season was cut short just four snaps into the campaign, Wilson was against thrust into the starting lineup. Playing behind an injury-riddled O-line and under an offensive coordinator (Nathaniel Hackett) who has been criticized for his inability to adequately adjust to the Rodgers injury, Wilson did not show much improvement over his prior work, completing 60.1% of his passes for eight TDs and seven interceptions. That amounted to a QBR of 30.6 (worst among primary starters) and a quarterback rating of 77.2 (third-worst). The Jets went 4-7 in his starts.

Rich Cimini of ESPN.com thinks it is unlikely that the Jets will simply cut Wilson — aside from the embarrassment such a move would be for the team, a pre-June 1 cut would yield a dead money charge of over $11MM with no corresponding cap savings — though their trade return will obviously be limited. Cimini’s sources believe that Wilson will fetch a sixth- or seventh-round selection, and that a swap of middle-round picks is also a possibility. One exec also floated the idea of a conditional 2025 selection (with the condition being how many snaps Wilson takes for the acquiring team in 2024).

One way or another, it sounds as if Wilson has played his last snap for the Jets, as Johnson made it abundantly clear that New York will need a new No. 2 passer. Interestingly, Connor Hughes of SNY.tv writes that some within the organization are high on Commanders QB Sam Howell, who just finished a disappointing season of his own.

There is no indication that Washington, which is likely to select a top quarterback prospect with the No. 2 overall pick in this year’s draft, is prepared to deal Howell, who led the league with 21 interceptions in 2023 but who did show flashes of high-end abiltity. The Commanders may prefer to hold on to the 2022 draftee in case their rookie passer is not immediately ready to take the reins, or simply to have a capable backup on hand. But if the team elects to move him, Hughes believes the Jets should pounce.

Jets Owner Woody Johnson Talks HC/GM Hot Seat, Offensive Struggles, Rodgers

February 9th, 2024 at 10:45am CST by Ben Levine

FEBRUARY 9: When speaking to ESPN’s Jeff Darlington, Johnson noted that Saleh will “concentrate” on the team’s offense this season (video link). That is notable given the latter’s background on defense, and the continued presence of much-maligned OC Nathaniel Hackett. Johnson praised defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich as well as New York’s special teams units, doubling down on the team’s abundant need for offensive improvement. It will interesting to see what alterations could be made with Saleh committing more time and attention to that side of the ball.

FEBRUARY 8: Following their offseason acquisition of Aaron Rodgers, the Jets had high hopes heading into the 2023 campaign. Those hopes were dashed when Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury on his fourth snap. The Jets still managed to finish the season with seven wins, but a five-game midseason losing streak revealed some major cracks in the foundation.

While owner Woody Johnson gave both head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas a vote of endorsement following the 2023 season, the duo won’t be completely excused for the team’s underwhelming performance. While speaking with reporters during tonight’s NFL Honors, Johnson seemed to hint that the HC/GM duo will be on the hot seat heading into the 2024 campaign.

“They’ve seen me about as mad as I could be with what was going on with the offense particularly,” Johnson said (via Adam H. Beasley of ProFootballNetwork.com). “We’ve got all this talent and we’ve got to deploy talent properly. So I think they all got the message.

“This is it, this is the time to go. We’ve got to produce this year, we have to produce this year.”

The Jets are 16-32 under Saleh, and the organization has gone 25-55 with Douglas leading the front office. While Johnson admitted that he’s not a “playoff mandate (guy),” he is counting on his coach and GM to improve on their seven-win campaign (via Costello).

During his conversation with reporters, Johnson seemed to express specific disappointment in the offense in 2023. He even took a clear shot at former second-overall pick Zach Wilson, stating that the team needs a backup quarterback since they “didn’t have one last year” (via Brian Costello of the New York Post). Johnson also pointed to the offensive line when asked about the team’s overall plan for success in 2024.

“We need to keep the quarterback vertical,” Johnson said (via Beasley). “It’s really all about the offense. For the last five years, it’s been about the offense. The offense has to score, keep the defense off the field.

“Defense is good, but we got, I think we were developing a really good plan for free agency and the draft, coaching trying to get the offense, so we have a balance, more of a balance, a balance on offense. We run the ball better in the red zone. A change in our practice schedule? We’re looking at everything. So we know we know what we can’t do, so now we got to do it.”

The owner also made it clear that he’s counting on Rodgers to return to top form. When asked if the Jets could close the gap between themselves and the top of the division, Johnson pointed directly at his veteran QB.

“Yeah. I think we can close it with Aaron Rodgers, yeah for sure,” he said (via Beasley). “We’ve got a very good defense. If we can do anything on offense. I mean, we won games without scoring a touchdown. That’s absolutely incredible.”

Latest On Aaron Rodgers’ Jets Influence; Robert Saleh Considering Reducing Nathaniel Hackett’s Role?

January 31st, 2024 at 10:53pm CST by Ely Allen

The Jets were ready for a different story in 2023. After year after year of question marks at the quarterback position, New York finally made the move for that franchise passer for which fans had been clamoring for so long. Yet in that trade for the then-39-year-old Aaron Rodgers, the Jets were getting much more than an upgrade to their quarterbacks room.

A lot of the influence that Rodgers demonstrated over the Jets last year came before he ever arrived. In order to “woo” Rodgers during the trade standoff, owner Woody Johnson approved the hiring of Nathaniel Hackett as offensive coordinator, per Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini of The Athletic. Hackett had a history with Rodgers, serving as his offensive coordinator for three years in Green Bay, two of which resulted in an MVP award for the four-time All-Pro. Unfortunately, though, Hackett was coming off of a disastrous campaign as head coach of the Broncos, during which he became just the fifth head coach since 1970 not to finish their first season as head coach.

Even before that, the Jets stayed busy signing many of Rodgers’ former teammates like wide receivers Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb, quarterback Tim Boyle, and offensive tackle Billy Turner. Not to mention that the veteran quarterback also pushed the team to add offensive tackle David Bakhtiari and tight end Marcedes Lewis to the roster, as well. Lots of this undue influence on personnel stemmed from his past in Green Bay, where he felt general manager Brian Gutekunst shut him out, especially after the drafting of his eventual replacement Jordan Love. In an effort to make Rodgers feel more in the loop, the team gave him a direct line of communication to general manager Joe Douglas.

Rodgers was even reportedly consulted on the lack of success from his offensive coordinator following Rodgers’ season-ending Achilles injury. Rosenblatt and Russini report that the team reached out to several veteran quarterbacks after Rodgers’ injury, including Chad Henne, Carson Wentz, and Colt McCoy. Of course, former Jet Joe Flacco was available, but the Jets staff reportedly didn’t view Flacco as an upgrade over backup quarterback Zach Wilson.

When the team ultimately chose to move forward with Wilson (and eventually Boyle and Trevor Siemian), many were critical of Hackett’s ability to adjust to the team’s new situation without Rodgers, with coaches and players describing the play-caller as “lacking in attention to detail.” The article reports that head coach Robert Saleh has explored the idea of adding new offensive staff and reducing Hackett’s role, an exploration that seems to involve Rodgers’ input.

Unlike Hackett, Saleh reportedly jumped into action after Rodgers’ injury, diving into a study of how the league’s best coaches of the past had dealt with similar situations. He found that, with the exception of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, all of the best current names in NFL coaching circles experienced losing records in seasons without their top passing option.

It was also Saleh who informed Wilson after his initial benching that he would be inactive for the remaining stretch of the season. When the head coach was forced to reverse course among injuries and other factors, it was Rodgers that Saleh turned to in order to convince Wilson to play again. That plan proved ill-conceived, though, as Wilson had soured on his former idol. Wilson reportedly expected to have a direct line to Rodgers as he undertook the duties of the starting quarterback. Despite reports that Rodgers had taken Wilson under his wing, due to the veteran’s obsessive pursuit for the world’s quickest return from a torn Achilles tendon, Wilson barely heard from him.

Aside from all of the internal influence, Rodgers’ activities outside of the building have caused ripples, as well. Even setting aside the headline-grabbing comments about late-night host Jimmy Kimmel, Rodgers’ famous paranoia was causing issues inside the Jets’ facility as he told Pat McAfee that there had “been a bunch of…leaks,” sending Saleh and staff into a witch hunt.

Regardless of it all, the plan remains largely the same for 2024. Saleh and Douglas, after public endorsements from Rodgers, will remain in place. Depending on how conversations between Saleh and Rodgers play out, the offensive coaching staff may look slightly different, but Hackett is likely to remain in place, as well. Rodgers, likely to be fully healthy by the beginning of the 2024 season, will return as the starting quarterback wearing several other hats beneath his helmet, his influence ever-present.

Jets Expected To Trade QB Zach Wilson

January 7th, 2024 at 4:50pm CST by Ely Allen

It appears that Zach Wilson‘s time in New York may finally be over, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The writing has been on the wall for quite a while, but things seem to finally be playing out for an eventual departure. Rapoport reports that the Jets will attempt to trade the former No. 2 overall pick this offseason.

Since being selected nearly three years ago, Wilson has failed to live up to his lofty draft status. In his three seasons, Wilson has started 33 games, accumulating a career record of 12-21. Even during his best stretches of play, Wilson has had a tendency to underwhelm. When he was able to win five of his nine starts in 2022, he still threw more interceptions than touchdowns and was eventually demoted all the way down to third-string. This year, despite finally throwing more touchdowns (8) than interceptions (7), Wilson was only able to lead the Jets to a 4-7 record as a starter, once again getting benched.

In his career as a Jet, Wilson has averaged only 185 yards per game, tossing only 23 touchdowns in 34 games while throwing for 25 total interceptions. Still, there’s likely to be a bit of interest in the one-time college star. Wilson’s high draft slot was solidified after a single strong season at BYU. After combining for 23 passing touchdowns, five rushing touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in his freshman and sophomore years as a Cougar, Wilson delivered his decisive season in 2020, completing 73.5 percent of his passes for 33 touchdowns to only three interceptions, adding 10 more scores on the ground.

There’s likely to be a number of teams interested in chasing that magical season. A team like the Commanders could provide him with a backup job while allowing him a chance to compete for a starting position. The Colts could prove a good opportunity for playing time if Anthony Richardson‘s injury trouble persists. For those who may wonder how likely it is that Wilson gets released for a lack of trade interest, Rapoport asserts that “quarterbacks get traded,” and he doesn’t have any expectation that Wilson will be released.

Wilson was made aware during this season that his tenure in New York was coming to an end. When he was benched in favor of Tim Boyle this year, the team informed him that they had plans to flip him in the offseason, per Dianna Russini of The Athletic. His awareness of a lack of a future with the team understandably contributed to his reluctance to return to a starting role later in the season when asked.

Wilson was placed on injured reserve yesterday with two purposes in mind. Firstly, Wilson has been dealing with a concussion, and with nothing left to play for, it made sense to keep him out of play. Secondly, taking him off the active roster allowed the team the ability to bring a practice squad player up to the 53-man roster, giving the Jets the option to avoid the player hitting free agency. With offensive lineman Jake Hanson and tight end Jeremy Ruckert also being placed on IR, running back Xazavian Valladay, linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, offensive lineman Chris Glaser, and defensive lineman Bruce Hector were granted their opportunities to make a case for a roster spot next year.

Jets Place Zach Wilson On IR; Robert Saleh Addresses QB’s Future

January 6th, 2024 at 7:49pm CST by Adam La Rose

Zach Wilson has been dealing with a concussion, and he will not be cleared in time to play again this season. The third-year quarterback was among the three players placed on injured reserve by the Jets on Saturday.

In Wilson’s absence, Trevor Siemian will get the nod once again. The latter has been in place since the former’s return to action proved to be short-lived. Wilson found himself benched for the second year in a row, leading to serious questions about his future in New York. When speaking on that point, head coach Robert Saleh did not offer a firm commitment to retaining him.

“We’ll see,” Saleh said when asked about Wilson’s future with the Jets, via ESPN’s Rich Cimini. “It’s all things that we’re going to have talk about once the season’s over, but whether it’s here or somewhere else, I believe he’s going to have a hell of a career.”

In the wake of Wilson showing a hesitancy to return to the lineup after his latest benching, signs increasingly began to point in December to the Jets moving on from the former No. 2 pick. Wilson is still under contract through 2024, and waiving him would result in a cap charge of $11.2MM. With Aaron Rodgers in place for the short-term future (along with the team’s top decision-makers), though, starting over at the rest of the QB depth chart would come as little surprise at this point. Wilson will have plenty to prove next year with the Jets or a new team as he aims to establish himself as a starting-caliber option and generate a free agent market for the following offseason.

“We were hoping… to give him that one year to watch Aaron play football, and learn and grow with all the different things that come with the scheme,” Saleh added. “It’s unfortunate, four plays in, what happened, but I think he’s made tremendous improvements from a year ago. I do. It’s just an unfortunate series of events that occurred.”

In addition to Wilson, the Jets moved offensive lineman Jake Hanson and tight end Jeremy Ruckert to injured reserve, ending their seasons. To fill the open roster spots, running back Xazavian Valladay, linebacker Marcelino McCrary-Ball, offensive lineman Chris Glaser and defensive lineman Bruce Hector were signed from the practice squad, giving each of them the opportunity to suit up tomorrow. New York’s disappointing campaign – one which has fueled additional questions about where Wilson will be playing in 2024 – will come to an end against New England on Sunday.

Zach Wilson Remains In Concussion Protocol; Jets To Start Trevor Siemian In Week 17

December 26th, 2023 at 3:19pm CST by Adam La Rose

Coming off a high-scoring win on Sunday, the Jets will have the same quarterback situation on a short week. Head coach Robert Saleh announced on Tuesday that Zach Wilson is out for New York’s upcoming Thursday night contest, meaning Trevor Siemian will get a second straight start.

Wilson exited the Jets’ Week 15 game due to a concussion, and he remains in the protocol. The former No. 2 pick’s latest departure from the lineup – which itself came not long after he was placed back atop the depth chart – paved the way for Siemian to handle starting duties. He joined the team in September amidst their search for an Aaron Rodgers replacement.

That has ultimately resulted in an audition period in the No. 1 role. Seeing his first full game atop the depth chart against the Commanders, Siemian went 27-for-49 for 217 yards and two touchdowns while throwing one interception. A game which appeared to be comfortably in hand for New York came down to a last-minute field goal to give the team the win. Siemian will have plenty of room for improvement on Thursday, although the Browns’ defense represents a much stiffer challenge than that of the Commanders.

Wilson was set to finish out the season as the starter after being reinstalled as the No. 1 option (due to Rodgers’ efforts to recover from an Achilles tear falling short), but his concussion has put that plan on hold. It would come as a surprise if Wilson was still in New York by the start of the 2024 season, although his play this year and this latest missed time has certainly not helped any trade value he may have.

The Jets are out of postseason contention, but the Browns are one of three teams still eligible to claim the No. 1 seed in the AFC. The opening contest of Week 17 thus has signficant playoff implications as New York prepares to hand the reins to Siemian for at least one more game.

Load More Posts