New York Jets owner Woody Johnson stood up for beleaguered quarterback Zach Wilson on Thursday, but also admitted that he feels Wilson's confidence "went down" this season.
Johnson on Zach Wilson: "Zach had a tough year. There’s no denying that. I still have confidence that I’ve seen some kernels of real talent there. … But the confidence level, whatever it was, went down."
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) January 12, 2023
Woody Johnson admitted it was a “tough” season for Zach Wilson. Still sees talent & hopes #Jets can develop him. Said Wilson lost confidence down stretch
— Connor Hughes (@Connor_J_Hughes) January 12, 2023
Per Costello, Johnson added that when asked if he'd potentially spend money on a seasoned quarterback in the offseason if head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas wanted to do so, the owner said, "absolutely." Johnson added that the quarterback position is "kind of the missing piece" for New York.
The 75-year-old owner also revealed that he doesn't think the organization developed Wilson the right way, and that they could have sat the former No. 2 overall pick behind a veteran signal-caller if the team had one at the time.
Saleh talked with reporters earlier Thursday morning, informing them that offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and offensive line/run game coordinator John Benton wouldn't be returning to the team next season. With talents like leading rusher Breece Hall in the backfield and explosive wideout Garrett Wilson heading the pass-catching group, the head coach knows the Jets have a promising unit on offense.
Saleh lists all the talented players they have on offense and says they are going to attack the offensive line and be aggressive at QB as reasons the OC job is attractive
— Brian Costello (@BrianCoz) January 12, 2023
On Monday, the quarterback told media members that he'd make "life hell" for any possible veteran competition in 2023. It's looking more and more likely that the former BYU Cougar may have that chance over the summer.
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