Zach Wilson shares what injured Aaron Rodgers offers Jets

Current New York Jets starting quarterback Zach Wilson shared what injured signal-caller Aaron Rodgers offers the club after Rodgers was spotted wearing a headset during Sunday's 20-14 win over the Philadelphia Eagles that improved the Jets to 3-3. 

"Yeah, being around him (during organized team activities) and training camp was tremendous for me, just the ability to throw next to him every day, watch the way he approaches things, the way he goes through his footwork, his process at the line, asking him questions about certain plays, all the above," Wilson said about Rodgers during a Monday news conference, per the Jets' website. "I really enjoyed spending my time with him and I know he has been going through his own battles right now of trying to get healthy and all that, but it is always great to have him around."

Rodgers and Wilson grew close throughout offseason workouts and the preseason before the future Hall of Famer went down with what may or may not be a full tear of his Achilles in Week 1 on Sept. 11. Rodgers was back at the team facility on Saturday and tossed pregame passes at MetLife Stadium on Sunday afternoon before the Jets defeated the Eagles. 

"I didn’t get to spend a lot of time with him," Wilson added about Rodgers. "Obviously, the headset, he was on with the coaches, so during the game it was me primarily hearing (offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett) and then on the sideline with Hackett as well. I talked to him a little bit at half about maybe some of the signals he was seeing from those guys, but I think he was primarily just in with the coaches on kind of what they were thinking with scheme and everything." 

Rodgers reportedly is attempting to return from his setback before the Jets end their regular season on Jan. 7 assuming they're still in the playoff conversation whenever he's cleared to play. Wilson noted Monday he's "not surprised at all" Rodgers can already throw while standing on both feet because "the way he attacks everything is special." 

Rodgers and the New York offense likely will need more from Wilson coming off the team's Week 7 bye for the 39-year-old to take a meaningful snap before next September. According to ESPN stats, Wilson began Monday night ranked 29th in the NFL among qualified players with a 37.5 adjusted QBR and 31st with a 73.4 passer rating on the season. He's thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions since Rodgers suffered his injury but last found the end zone in the Week 4 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.