It’s fair to say New York Jets general manager Joe Douglas didn’t do a good enough job surrounding Zach Wilson with enough capable weapons to succeed in his first season. There was no shortage of receivers, they just couldn’t get on the same page with Wilson, and injuries surely played a factor.
Heading into the 2022 offseason and it appears as though the Jets are hoping to avoid the same mistakes for their potential franchise quarterback’s second season.
Just a few days removed from the NFL Scouting Combine, reports are emerging that the Jets brass has become fascinated with one specific wide receiver prospect in the upcoming NFL draft.
According to Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network, the Jets have Arkansas receiver and projected first-round pick Treylon Burks as the top-rated pass-catcher on their draft board. He also adds that Douglas has been “gushing” about Burks.
After a mediocre showing at the combine in which the 6-foot-2 WR ran a 4.55 40-yard dash at 225 pounds, Burks didn’t blow anyone away, but he didn’t completely flop either. Still, count Douglas as one who’s apparently intrigued.
Then again, it’s smokescreen season. It seems incredibly unlikely the Jets would spend one of their two top-ten selections on Burks instead of one of the many defenders who likely propelled toward the first half of the opening round of the draft.
Related: New York Jets 7-round mock draft
New York Jets need a better version of Zach Wilson in ’22
Whether the New York Jets choose to spend a premium draft pick in an effort to add to the receiver room or not, they know Zach Wilson has to be a lot better in his second year under center. There were times when Wilson would get “happy feet”, displaying poor mechanics and footwork, causing him to be inaccurate on his throws. It led to a 55.6% completion rate, which is less than stellar to say the least.
There were times when Wilson appeared to be the third-best quarterback on the team, not a good look for the second overall pick from the 2021 NFL Draft.
To be fair, Wilson has a lot of potential. There’s a reason the Jets fell in love with him as a prospect in the first place. Fundamentals like footwork can be worked on and fixed over time, maybe after a full offseason, Wilson will display a much more refined technique.