Embattled New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson is back to being QB1 after he was benched ahead of a Week 12 game against the Miami Dolphins.
New York made that decision after Tim Boyle — since released — struggled big time in that role over the past two games. Head coach Robert Saleh is doing everything possible to salvage what has been a lost season and fix one of the most anemic offenses in modern league history.
The decision to go back to Wilson come after a report earlier in the week indicating that the former No. 2 pick pushed back against taking to the field again this season. In his weekly Q&A with the media, Wilson pushed back against this report in a big way.
“Absolutely not. I love the guys in this locker room and I would do anything. I think any time you have an opportunity to step on this field, you need to take advantage of it,” Wilson told reporters.
Related: Aaron Rodgers blasts New York Jets over Zach Wilson leaks
This falls in line with what Saleh said after the initial report broke. “If he was reluctant to play, he wouldn’t be here,” the head coach said on Tuesday.
Whether this controversy is behind the Jets remains to be seen. But the initial report from Dianna Russini and Zach Rosenblatt of The Athletic indicated that Wilson was reluctant for fear of suffering an injury and impacting what happens this coming offseason.
When asked about whether he views these final five games of the season as an audition for other teams, Wilson was direct in his response. “Obviously I think anytime you have an opportunity, you’re putting on for every team in the league,” the quarterback told reporters.
Related: Ranking NFL quarterbacks heading into Week 14
Zach Wilson stats (2023): 59% completion, 1,944 yards, 6 TD, 7 INT
Since New York made him the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Wilson has been a disaster class on the field. That span has seen him post an 11-20 record while accounting for 26 total touchdowns and 32 giveaways.
The Jets are expecting future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers to return for the 2024 season after he suffered an Achilles injury four snaps into his career with the organization. Given what has happened between Wilson and the Jets this season, he could very well be putting tape out there for other teams.
As for Gang Green, they head into Week 14 with a 4-8 record and ranked 30th in the NFL in scoring at 14.3 points per. They’ve scored all of 45 points over the past five games — all losses.