As Zach Wilson labors, the Jets face a season-defining dilemma
Zach Wilson isn’t ready.
The 24-year-old, third year quarterback, and the No. 2 overall pick by the New York Jets in the 2021 NFL Draft, is not ready to be an effective starter in the league.
He has played in 25 career games as a professional. Last Sunday’s game against the New England Patriots at MetLife Stadium was start No. 24 for Wilson. Ideally, it would be his last for most, if not all of the remainder of this season. However, the Jets’ circumstances dictate that Wilson remains as their first string QB until the team can acquire a more viable player at the position.
The Jets’ playoff and Super Bowl aspirations were plausibly high when they opened the regular season on September 11 versus the Buffalo Bills. But if those thoughts still persist now, it’s mere magical thinking. When four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers suffered a torn left Achilles tendon less than five minutes into the game on just the Jets’ fourth offensive play of the 2023 campaign, the team’s hopes effectively sidelined with him.
Rodgers will not return this season. As of today, neither will any semblance of a Jets team that could’ve been a champion. They defeated the Bills 22-16 in overtime and since then lost 30-10 to the Dallas Cowboys and 15-10 to the Patriots. The Jets are statistically the worst offense in the league. Subtract the six points that Jets punt returner Xavier Gipson scored on a 65-yard walk off touchdown in OT against the Bills, and the Wilson-led offense has posted just 36 total points for an average of 12 per game.
It is virtually impossible to compete for victories with such alarmingly low offensive output. In defense of Wilson, he never expected to be starting this season. As the No. 2 quarterback behind Rodgers to begin the season, yes, it’s his charge to be prepared to step in and perform capably. The urgent issue for the Jets is that Wilson, at this stage of his young career, is demonstrably incapable. It gets more problematic for head coach Robert Saleh and his squad as the Jets’ next opponent is the 2-1 defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs in a showdown at MetLife on Sunday night.
“Right now he is the best player, he’s the one who gives us the best chance to win. That’s the cleanest answer I can give you,” said Saleh after Sunday’s loss regarding Wilson’s status.
It’s demoralizing for Jets fans to reconcile Saleh’s words but it’s true. Wilson’s backups are Tim Boyle, who has just 106 career passing attempts in his fifth season with three teams and Trevor Siemian, who the Jets signed earlier this week. Siemian was the Bears’ second-stringer last season for the Chicago Bears behind Justin Fields.
To assert that the Jets are in dire straits is an understatement.
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