The New York Jets will likely have to move on from former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson after just two seasons.
Four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers will head to Jersey at some point soon. The quarterback has made his intentions clear. A deal between New York and Green Bay will end up being finalized, creating an awkward situation with Mr. Wilson.
This is magnified by the fact that several Jets players have publicly lobbied the team to trade for Rodgers. There’s really no scenario in which head coach Robert Saleh and Co. can welcome Wilson back into the mix.
The question here is value for a 23-year-old signal caller who has displayed immaturity in the past and struggled big time as a sophomore. Despite all of these issues, Wilson is still young and offers a tremendous amount of upside. Here, we look at four ideal Zach Wilson trade scenarios this offseason.
Related: Sportsnaut’s NFL trade tracker with grades
Minnesota Vikings land young backup quarterback
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins restructured his contract to help the Vikings create cap room earlier in the offseason. However, it did not add another year to his deal. Cousins’ contract automatically voids following the 2023 season, making him a free agent.
There is a decent chance that Minnesota looks to add a quarterback either with its first-round pick or a bit later in the 2023 NFL Draft. However, the idea of acquiring Wilson on the cheap to learn behind Cousins has to be seen as appealing. It’s really going to be all about what the Jets demand in a trade.
Indianapolis Colts land Zach Wilson in trade
Indianapolis released veteran quarterback Matt Ryan after just one season with the team. It has no starter-caliber options remaining on the roster and missed out on pretty much every capable quarterback in free agency.
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While the Colts are slated to select fourth overall in the 2023 NFL Draft, it’s an open question who might be available. The Carolina Panthers moved up to the first spot in a trade with the Chicago Bears. They are going quarterback. The same thing can be said about the Houston Texans, who are selecting second. Regardless, Indy needs to add multiple quarterbacks to the mix.
- Zach Wilson contract: $3.85 million cap hit in 2023; $11.1 million in 2024
As you can see, Wilson’s cap hits over the next two seasons are not high. They equate to backup quarterback money. With the Colts likely utilizing 2023 as a transition year, why not see what Zach Wilson has to offer?
Related: Sportsnaut’s updated NFL free agent tracker
Los Angeles Rams take a chance on young quarterback
Speaking of transition years, the Super Bowl LVI champions have torn apart their roster. Los Angeles is not going to compete with the mighty San Francisco 49ers in the NFC West next season. That much is clear.
There’s also an open question about quarterback Matthew Stafford’s future in Southern California less than a calendar year after he signed a massive extension with the Rams. It just makes too much sense to bring in Wilson as a backup to Stafford. He’d come cheap from both a compensation and financial standpoint and might end up turning it around under offensive-minded head coach Sean McVay.
Related: Ranking NFL quarterbacks in 2023
Baltimore Ravens bring in Zach Wilson
The Lamar Jackson situation is completely up in the air with the Ravens. He had the franchise tag placed on him earlier this offseason. The former NFL MVP also aired some dirty laundry recently when it came to contract talks with Baltimore. Equally as important, there’s an off chance that either the Ravens trade Jackson or a team coughs up two future first-round picks for the generational talent.
- Zach Wilson stats: 55.2% completion, 4,022 yards,15 TD, 18 INT, 70.9 QB rating
As you can see, Wilson’s tenure in Jersey has been a disaster. A change of scenery simply needs to be in the cards here. Whether it’s to put pressure on Jackson or find a diamond in the rough, Wilson to Maryland makes sense.