New York Jets training camp is going to be a popular destination for fans with the arrival of Aaron Rodgers. While one of the NFL Top 100 players in 2023 will be the face of the Jets’ franchise this season, quarterback Zach Wilson is also an important figure heading into training camp.
Through his first two seasons, Wilson’s stats are similar to JaMarcus Russell’s through his first 22 starts. The Jets’ quarterback issues led to the trade for Rodgers and his arrival resulted in an all-in approach for the upcoming season. However, New York is still thinking about its future with Wilson under center when Rodgers is gone.
- Zach Wilson stats (career): 4,022 pass yards, 55.2% completion rate, 15-18 TD-INT, 67 sacks, 6.4 yards per attempt, 70.9 QB rating in 22 games
According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, the Jets liked what they saw from Wilson during OTAs and the coaching staff went into the summer with more confidence the new environment he’s working in will pay off.
Even after acquiring Rodgers, New York never had any intention of cutting ties with Wilson. The organization believed the third-year quarterback would benefit from having new voices around him and the results thus far have been positive.
Rodgers has provided Wilson with a future Hall of Fame quarterback to learn from. While the four-time NFL MVP didn’t like the Green Bay Packers drafting Jordan Love, he was very supportive of the young quarterback and served as a mentor. Now, he’s playing that same role for Wilson.
While many believe the Jets hired offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to lure Rodgers in, the veteran coach has been a positive presence in the building for Wilson to receive guidance from. Similarly, passing game coordinator Todd Downing has had a positive influence on the former No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The Jets still have no intention of starting Wilson this season and it’s possible he’ll have to beat Tim Boyle in training camp for the backup quarterback job. However, entering his age-24 season, Wilson has proven to New York that it doesn’t need to add a veteran quarterback and he’s provided the team with confidence in his future.