Zach Wilson’s tenure with the New York Jets appears to be in its final chapter after three tumultuous seasons. Earlier this offseason, the club cleared the quarterback to seek a trade and as he continues to look for his next destination in the league, the quarterback is skipping voluntary workouts, the Jets’ general manager confirmed Friday. Joe Douglas.
Wilson, 24, is unlikely to have a strong market, even three years out of the No. 2 pick in the draft. Asked Friday about a pending trade with Wilson, Douglas noted that he has had discussions with teams. “Zach is an asset and at the same time, we’re obviously open to trading Zach,” Douglas said.
Jets owner Woody Johnson called Wilson a “valuable surprise” at the NFL’s annual league meeting last month and said they wouldn’t just release him, via SNY. That means there’s at least a small chance Wilson will be on the roster in 2024. Johnson also said Wilson needs to be in a situation where he can “observe for a while“Ultimately, he still believes Wilson can reach his potential in the NFL.
“He’s got the skills. He can do anything,” Johnson said. “There’s a reason we drafted him second overall.”
So where exactly might Wilson end up? Here are some potential landing spots:
Wilson has been unfairly compared to Patrick Mahomes coming out of BYU, but there could be no better mentor for this physically gifted youngster. KC has yet to develop a long-term backup for Mahomes and currently has Ian Book and Chris Oladokun behind the best quarterback in the game. Wilson would surely seize the opportunity to learn under Andy Reid, a spirit offensive player that could help the former first-round pick reach his potential.
If there’s a perfect landing spot for an NFL quarterback, it’s probably San Francisco with Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers have their new franchise quarterback in Brock Purdy and signed Joshua Dobbs to the room that already includes Brandon Allen, but that doesn’t mean San Francisco is 100% done looking at quarterbacks. Like we said, Wilson has potential. He just needs help in his development.
Yes, maybe Mike LaFleur and Wilson weren’t the best of friends during their time together in New York. In fact, The Athletic argued that this was a reason why Wilson wouldn’t be a Ram in 2024, but I’m not so sure. SI.com reported that LaFleur would be “very open” to a possible reunion. Really, it depends on Sean McVay and Les Snead.
Few teams have embraced the QB restoration project as much as the Rams in recent years, making in-season decisions over Baker Mayfield and Carson Wentz in successive years. With Matthew Stafford established as the starter after a 2023 resurgence, Los Angeles could use a younger developmental option again, even with the addition of Jimmy Garoppolo.