As the football world clamors over the quarterbacks in the 2024 draft class and the potential blue-chip players who could emerge from the group, the No. 2 overall pick from an overhyped 2021 class could use a new home.
Zach Wilson and his representatives were granted permission to seek a trade from the New York Jets after three disastrous seasons on Broadway. The former BYU standout amassed a 12-21 record, with a series of lowlights overshadowing the occasional flashes of brilliance from the naturally gifted passer.
Wilson has not come close to living up to his draft pedigree, with a 57 percent completion rate, a 23:25 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 73.2 passer rating over 34 NFL appearances. He has struggled with turnovers, decision-making and overall execution, looking overwhelmed whenever he’s had the chance to serve as the Jets’ QB1.
Moreover, it appears the team did not respond to his leadership style, as evidenced by the revolving door of backup quarterbacks (Mike White, Joe Flacco, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian) who appeared as short-term starters for the Jets over the past two seasons. The writing has been on the wall for Wilson since the team essentially handed the keys to the franchise to Aaron Rodgers last offseason; if the four-time MVP had never suffered a torn Achilles, we likely wouldn’t have seen Wilson at all in 2023.
“I feel badly about Zach in some ways because last year it would’ve been a great — it would’ve been the first time he could just sit back and watch a master at work, and he’s never had that,” Jets’ owner Woody Johnson told reporters at the NFL’s Annual League Meeting. “He’s been in the fire from Day 1, and 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 No. 2 overall, and I have confidence that he’ll get there at some point.”
The fourth-year pro is a talented passer with plus arm talent and athleticism. He possesses enough physical ability to play at a high level, but like Johnson said, he needs more time to develop without the pressure of having to perform at an elite level. In a perfect world, Wilson would spend the final year of his rookie contract (pending a decision on his fifth-year option) on a team with an experienced play-caller who understands how to build quarterback-friendly game plans that suit Wilson’s talents as an athletic gunslinger.
After exploring the landscape for possible team fits, I’ve come up with three ideal landing spots for the 24-year-old quarterback.
2024-03-29 20:56:00
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