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.
Not even trying to be mean but I’m not sure there’s a market for Wilson especially on his first round rookie contract. I would say it’s more likely he gets released. Some team will definitely take a flyer on him for league minimum.
If the Jets trade him, they’d be eating a little more than half the money he’s owed this year. Not that I would particularly want to pay him $5.4 million next season if I were another team, but that’s much more palatable. It’s like Stidham money.
Except there will be a number of better backup-caliber QBs available at that price after the draft.
Someone traded a second and a fourth for Darnold after his first three years. I wouldn’t be surprised if someone is willing to gamble a late round pick and five million to take a look at a guy they liked going into his draft.
Wilson was way more of a disaster than Darnold. No one is trading anything for him. Especially when you know the Jets will release Wilson.
The Jets will trade Wilson for next to nothing, because that cuts the dead money in half. Darnold got a second and fourth after a season when he completed less than 60% of his passes and threw more interceptions than touchdowns, neither of which Wilson did this year. Don’t get me wrong, Wilson has been a disaster, but I’m guessing someone will take a very low cost flyer on him.
The Darnold trade is evidence why no team is going to trade for Wilson. The Panthers threw those picks in the trash. Sometimes teams learn from the mistakes of others. Wilson is 100% getting released. There is no need to trade for him.
I don’t know what you think the word evidence means.
I know what you’re saying, but do you really want Wilson taking up a roster spot on your team after watching his body of work in 2023?
I don’t, to be clear. But I think there’s usually a team that will take a one year $5.4 million flyer on a top 5 drafted QB who’s just turning 25.
@Stay down, if a team believes Wilson might be better than what they could draft in the 6th or 7th round, I could see someone parting with a day 3 pick. The Jets would undoubtedly have to absorb a lot of the contract, too.
Wilson has unquestionably been a disaster, but it may come down to how much of that teams feel is his fault, or if they believe it’s been the Jets poor handling of him. If they feel a lot of it’s on the Jets, then you’re buying the tools with the belief you can unlock them where NY failed. That might be worth a late pick to someone to ensure they get him.
Well said. Teams certainly may take a flyer on Wilson if the price is low enough. At the time, I thought Wilson was waaaaaaaaay overdrafted, but he does have ability that could be developed under the right set of circumstances, starting with Wilson acknowledging to himself that a large part of his problems is his immaturity, particularly regarding his role on a team in a team game. Among others, Geno Smith has turned his career around by maturity bringing a change in outlook. Let’s hope it’s not too late for Wilson.
I’ll bet the offers come flooding in now!
Wet paper bag called…..said no thanks, I’m good.
I wouldn’t mind the steelers trading a low round pick for him. A lot of times a change of scenery does the player good.
Add more failures to an already severely underperforming QB room? Why waste the pick?
He would beat out Pickett, but you are correct this does nothing to fix their QB woes.
As bad as Pickett is, Zack Wilson is worse. The guy couldn’t score enough TDs to make the playoffs even with Miami’s receivers.
I dunno. Wilson torched the Steelers in 2022. No matter, I firmly believe the Steelers will be in a similar position in one year, wondering how they made such a big draft mistake
Not as big as the Jets, twice, with the second pick overall both times. Pickett was the 17th pick in his class and while he hasn’t shown any upside, he hasn’t exactly rocked the boat in the locker room. Some QBs are late bloomers. Wilson is generally disliked by teammates.
Darnold was the third overall pick in 2018, but your point is valid, nevertheless. Pickett is a guy who throws in rhythm, and doesn’t have a big arm, but, as you said, has not been a problem in the locker room. I’d be willing to bet he’s generally well-liked by his teammates, despite their understandable jealousy over his great hair.
Wilson is no different than Pickett. A bum first rounder. He was just picked much higher.
The Michigan Panthers might be a fit.
If he is on the roster say till the draft, I could se teams that our drafting down near the bottom of seventh round using a pick and acquiring Wilson as the “eralavent”draft pick as long as the Jets pay down a lot of the contract.
Jesus, this reads like an 11-year-old’s first draft.
There’s a reason he was drafted 3rd overall. He’s a solid QB but wasn’t a good fit in the bright lights of NY. We all have seen flashes of the potential. Get him away from the pressure of a huge fan base he might do well. He’ll more than likely be tasked as a backup. Denver might be an option if they actually go through with cutting Wilson as everyone thinks. Vegas might be a fit as well.
Vegas might be -0-. The chances of them going with O’Connell as #1, and Wilson as the #2 is not happening.
The reason he was drafted number 3 is because the GM was an idiot at the moment and bought into the hype and pressure. He shouldn’t have been drafted that high to begin with.
He was drafted 2nd
Interested to see the market for him. He could learn A TON behind Mahomes and with Andy Reid but that team is so high caliber I don’t see them wanting him. Maybe a mentor-mentee role behind Derrick Carr?
Even Tom Hanks saw this coming….link to youtube.com
If he can find a trade it’d be the best thing he’s ever done for the Jets.
He was drafted so high based primarily on historically horrendous scouting. If that sounds like an exaggeration, go through the Jets draft history; particularly at QB.
Does anyone recall a case where a team gave a player permission to seek a trade and it actually resulted in a trade? Almost every time this is simply a precursor to a release.
Saskatchewan could take a flyer on Wilson … does he speak Canadian ?
I bet the Jets would take a shovel and some used golf balls for him.
I think Oooof may be Zach Wilson..the jets will release him, as no one would pay him even 5.5mil. That same late round pick could be used on a rookie QB that can be molded with the GM thinking he has the next purdy. Jets keep him as a #3 or just cut him post June 1.
This is a mistake. He’s had zero coaching and training at the pro level from the Jets. If he was my client I’d be pissed
Why would you take on over 5 million for him when you can wait until he’s cut and sign him for the league minimum? Expect the Eagles to pick him up this way.
This deal happens only if the Jets pay half and then still only get a pick swap out of it
Seattle about to turn him into Tom Brady 3.0
Whoever trades for him, just make sure his Mom and Girlfriend are included…..Yikes!
Wilson looked terrible playing for the Jets, Heck Rodgers, Mahomes, Brady or anybody else would have too , just maybe it wasn’t all about Wilson & some of the other teams are aware of that , he will be picked up by another team
He’s not devoid of talent. He needs a better offensive line and the opportunity to learn behind someone. People seem to forget this: Zach Wilson, Tommy DeVito named AFC, NFC offensive players of the week link to theathletic.com
It doesn’t erase the rest of his brutal performances but it does show his capabilities.
Utopian scenario: Trading him and eating some/half of the $ for a 5th round pick.
Maybe a team considers a trade with the extra cap space. There has to be a team out there like SF who believes they can unlock him.