For the betterment of the franchise and his own career, the Jets and quarterback Zach Wilson should part ways at the end of this season.
Wilson is never going to be the Jets’ regular starter. He has been given ample time to show he can be a galvanizing and productive leader on the field and in the locker room. To date, Wilson has been the antithesis of an uplifting team cornerstone.
One evidentiary exhibit is when his teammates openly advocated for Mike White to be the team’s starter over Wilson last season, going so far as to wear tee shirts emblazoned with the then backup’s likeness and the words “Mike f’ing White” displayed under it as they were boarding the team plane for a Week 13 game against the Minnesota Vikings on December 4.
Jets players had become frustrated not only with Wilson’s poor play but his aversion to taking accountability. White, who is now with the Miami Dolphins, was unquestionably outperforming Wilson.
The 24-year-old No. 2 overall pick by the Jets in the 2021 NFL Draft is a polarizing presence whose demotion to third string for the past two games, a 34-13 loss to the Miami Dolphins on November 24 in Week 12 and last Sunday’s Week 13 defeat, 13-8, to the Atlanta Falcons, both at home at MetLife Stadium, reflects the increasing likelihood he will not be a Jet when the team starts training camp next summer.
Wilson began this season as Aaron Rodgers’ primary backup and was elevated to the starting spot when Rodgers tore his left Achilles in the opening game on September 11.
In 10 games played, Wilson has just 1,944 yards throwing for a meager average of 194 yards per outing, six passing touchdowns, seven interceptions and no rushing scores for the 4-8 Jets, which have lost their last five games.
The latest drama involves Wilson reportedly not wanting to play to avoid being injured. The Athletic first published a story making the allegation, compelling Jets head coach Robert Saleh and Rodgers to refute it and defend Wilson.
“Let’s be clear, if he was reluctant to play guys, he wouldn’t be here,” Saleh told reporters on Tuesday. “I actually coincidentally just got done speaking with [Wilson]…and we had a really good conversation. The young man wants the ball. He wants to start.”
Rodgers took aim at the media and the Jets’ internal safeguards in an appearance on ESPN’s “The Pat McAfee Show” on Tuesday. “When you use sources and whether intentional or unintentional to try and assassinate someone’s character like that report does for Zach I have a real hard time with that,” he said.
“What is your motivation to try to bury someone like that? And that’s a problem with the organization, we need to get to the bottom of whatever this is coming from and put a stop to it privately…”
The Jets released Tim Boyle, who had started at quarterback the last two games and was replaced by veteran Trevor Siemian at the end of the third quarter. The Jets will host the 7-5 Houston Texans this Sunday (1:00 p.m.).
The 4-8 Giants will play the 6-6 Green Bay Packers at MetLife on Monday night (8:15 p.m.).
