Things have not panned out for New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson early in his career. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has not developed into the franchise quarterback that the team had hoped he would, which has his career in limbo.
After being replaced by Aaron Rodgers during the 2023 offseason, Wilson was the backup for the team heading into the season. He was thrust back into the starting role after Rodgers injured his Achilles four snaps into his Jets’ career.
Wilson, for the second season in a row, torpedoed the Jets’ chances of making the postseason with underwhelming play. While he showed improvement in some areas, he was still among the least productive quarterbacks in the NFL.
That has prompted the Jets to change their quarterback depth chart. Veteran Tyrod Taylor was signed away from the New York Giants to become the team’s new backup behind Rodgers, likely signaling the end of Wilson’s tenure with the franchise.
Wilson has been on the trade block since the beginning of the offseason but remains on the team’s roster as voluntary workouts begin. With an unsure future, Wilson has opted to skip the workouts and remain away from the team.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas shared that there has been no movement on the Wilson trade front. New York has had discussions with teams but said, “There’s just no news to report on that,” referencing Wilson trade talks.
In his first three seasons as a pro, Wilson was present and active in the offseason workouts. But, his absence this year likely stems from frustrations with how things have been handled and wanting a fresh start elsewhere with no path to playing time on the Jets.
“I think it’s each player’s choice whether they’re going to be here for Phase 1 [of the program],” Douglas said at his pre-draft news conference. “These are all voluntary. There are quite a few players that haven’t come for the first week. So, look, that’s a decision that Zach has to make.”
Wilson showing up and participating in any workouts with the Jets would be a surprise. It has been made abundantly clear that he is no longer in the team’s plans and it is a matter of when, not if, the team moves on from him.
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