Rookie quarterbacks are supposed to have growing pains, and one could say that best describes Zach Wilson and his rookie season. The season started about as bad as it could for the BYU signal-caller. That being said, he did turn things around by the season’s end.
His rough start was highlighted by 11 turnovers in his first six career games. He only had four touchdowns in that same span, so to say people were concerned would be an understatement. The team’s roster last year was less than ideal, and to be honest, it remains that way for 2022. General Manager Joe Douglas has shown he can be aggressive in bettering the roster, but it’s an uphill battle.
Taking over a team that traded away the farm for Sam Darnold isn’t going to be in the best shape. The critical question is will Wilson survive this rebuild, or is he another Sam Darnold? That question remains to be answered, but the powers that be seem to be working against him.
Joe Douglas is Going Above and Beyond. Is it Enough?
The Jets have gone all-in on developing this offense since Douglas arrived in 2019. During his tenure, he has made moves such as signing Corey Davis and then drafting Breece Hall to name a few. He is constantly trying to reinvigorate this team’s roster, but again, it’s an uphill battle. The problem is this is New York, and Woody Johnson is back from his holiday playing Ambassador.
I bring up Johnson not for the cheap political punch but rather by highlighting how when he is around the team, rash decisions are made. Johnson fired former general manager Mike McCagnan two weeks after the team’s draft in 2019. He has no issue pulling the rug out on any part of his team, so why is Wilson or Douglas safe? They are tied to each other at this point, one’s success is the others, and the same goes for failures.
If you keep Wilson shares, you have to know you are out of house money and now are playing with your own. 2022 couldn’t be bigger for any other QB, and now it’s time to tell you why.
The 2023 Quarterback Class is Not Helping Wilson’s Case
The idea has long floated in people’s heads when a rookie QB struggles with “okay, how much longer can this go on?” that is happening now with Wilson. The idea finally reached the national airwaves when former NFL QB Brady Quinn brought up some interesting points.
The Jets play the entire AFC North to start the season, and the schedule doesn’t ease up from there. All in all, the Jets face an uphill battle even with a renewed roster because Wilson on film just hasn’t given us enough to work with. This led to Quinn saying, “I’ve got them winning five games and probably going back to the drawing board at the QB position in the 2023 NFL draft.”
That last part is the part that has me scared of what could happen to Wilson. This 2023 class isn’t like the one we just saw. More than one QB will be drafted in the top 20 picks, and we could easily see five in the top ten. C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young, of course, lead the class, but can they turn the Jets around? Maybe? The thing is, though, the NFL stands for not for long people joke, and that may be the best way to describe Wilson.
I don’t think New York is the right city for him or this team right now. Tons of outside noise and a roster surrounding him that just hasn’t helped him to this point. Could the addition of Hall make a difference? Sure. Would getting Tyreek Hill when they had the chance have helped? Yes, that may have been the saving grace this team and front office needed. For now, though, they have to settle for two rookies. Hall and Garrett Wilson will have to play savior for Zach Wilson and this offense in 2022.
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