It was not long ago that Zach Wilson and Trevor Lawrence were viewed as two of the most hopeful rookie stars in the NFL.
Like so many first-year players, it's easy to make the argument the bar was set unreasonably high for both quarterbacks, with Wilson quickly becoming a subject of controversy for the Jets. Some of his struggles have served as a reminder that making the jump from college to the NFL is steep, and there are many who believe Wilson's shortcomings are at least partially a product of the plethora of issues around him on the team. Others believe it's simply time to move on.
Jets owner Woody Johnson appears to be among those not too happy with Wilson – and he made that known recently without even saying the quarterback's name.
Jets owner takes apparent shot at Zach Wilson: 'We didn't have' a backup in 2023
Johnson spoke to reporters Thursday at the NFL Honors event, addressing a number of topics about the team's future. If one thing is clear, it's that he expects his 2024 team to surpass the accomplishments – or lack thereof – of his 2023 squad.
One of his comments seemed to all but finalize the end of Wilson's time with New York. Johnson said the Jets needed to secure a backup quarterback because they "didn't have one" last season after Aaron Rodgers went down with an injury early.
“We need a backup quarterback," Johnson said at the event. "We didn’t have one last year.”
This isn't the first time a potential parting of ways between the Jets and Wilson has come up.
In January, Wilson was reportedly told he would be traded, according to Diana Russini of The Athletic.
Wilson completed 60.1% of his passes with 6.2 yards per attempt for a 77.2 passer rating as the Jets ranked 32nd in touchdown passes (11) and passer rating (70.5).
The Jets have just under $5 million in cap space next season. Wilson has a cap hit over $10 million, so the Jets may need to get creative to make a move happen. At this point, a change of scenery might be for the best for both the team and the former No. 2 overall pick.