The New York Jets are expected to explore the trade market for Zach Wilson in the coming weeks, but they will likely have to attach a very reasonable asking price to the young quarterback.
ESPN’s Rich Cimini spoke with a few NFL executives, two assistant coaches and one scout to get an idea of how much Wilson would fetch in a potential trade. The consensus was that the Jets will probably wind up with a sixth- or seventh-round draft pick if they move on from the former BYU star. The scout said New York would be “lucky” to get a seventh-round pick, and one of the assistant coaches joked that he wouldn’t pay more than “a two-week stay at a Best Western.”
One rival executive suggested the Jets might ask for a conditional 2025 pick that is based on how much Wilson plays in 2024.
Either way, it would be a surprise if the Jets cannot find a suitor. As Cimini notes, a quarterback drafted in the top 10 has not been outright cut since Washington moved on from former No. 2 overall pick Robert Griffin III in 2012. Only three first-round quarterbacks since then have been cut, so there is almost always a trade market for talented QBs who flopped with the team that drafted them.
Wilson has appeared in 34 games over three seasons with the Jets. He has completed 57% of his passes for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. While his supporting cast has not been great, Wilson was benched multiple times for poor play. There were also some concerns raised about his character this past season.
There is a reason Wilson was the second pick in the draft three years ago. The 24-year-old will now have to prove himself as a backup somewhere, but trading for him will not come with a whole lot of risk.
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