A New York Jets insider recently reported Zach Wilson could be spending a season in the CFL after comments made by owner Woody Johnson this offseason. The Jets are having a difficult time finding a trade partner for Wilson.
The New York Jets wanted a better backup QB
Following the Jets’ disappointing 2023 season, Johnson said the team needed to add a better backup quarterback for the upcoming season. He said the Jets didn’t have a backup quarterback in Wilson. It wasn’t just Wilson who received the message.
The league was listening.
Johnson and the Jets tried to rebrand their attitude toward Wilson during the annual league meeting. Per Zack Rosenblatt with The Athletic, Johnson said he still believes Wilson can be deserving of his No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft if he can be a backup behind a good quarterback.
Zach Wilson is seen as a backup QB
Per Rosenblatt, the Jets are finding that teams around the league don’t see Wilson as a backup quarterback. Wilson’s salary doesn’t make sense for the practice squad:
The Jets are running into a few issues here: Wilson’s cap hit for the acquiring team ($5.4 million), the feeling that he might be released anyway, and the fact that for the majority of teams that might even consider adding him, he wouldn’t even be a lock to make the 53-man roster. New York might have to attach a draft pick for someone to take on Wilson’s salary, as the Jets might be resistant to eating some of his salary to get rid of him too.
Woody Johnson hurt the Jets’ leverage
Wilson was the Jets’ best backup quarterback last season. Frankly, the Jets didn’t have an offensive line that would have allowed any quarterback, including Aaron Rodgers, to have success in the 2023 season.
Wilson should have a chance to be a backup in the upcoming season. Unfortunately, Johnson’s snide comment earlier in the offseason could kill any chance of that happening.
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