Time seems to be up on the Zach Wilson experiment in New York.
The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft will seek his fortunes elsewhere. The Jets granted Wilson permission to seek a trade, general manager Joe Douglas said Wednesday.
#Jets GM Joe Douglas confirms that the team has given QB Zach Wilson permission to seek a trade.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) February 28, 2024
While that doesn’t necessarily mean Wilson will be traded, it would only make sense after he was benched in favor of Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian. Furthermore, Aaron Rodgers is expected to be available to start the 2024 season.
At best, Wilson would slot in as the backup quarterback to start his fourth NFL season.
The 24-year-old has one more season under contract, assuming the Jets or his next team does not pick up his fifth-year team option next offseason.
Let’s take a look at what franchises may be the best fit for Wilson as he seeks to revive his NFL career.
Zach Wilson landing spots
No teams have outwardly expressed a desire to take a chance on Wilson. But the No. 2 overall pick could tempt some franchises.
Wilson has started 33 of the 34 games in which he has appeared since his debut in 2021. But he has never made it through an entire season as the full-time starter. In the eyes of the league, Wilson is likely a backup quarterback unless an injury arises.
So Wilson looks around the NFL, he should hope for a team with a history of developing quarterbacks to pick up the phone and make a deal with the Jets.
San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers may be the most quarterback-friendly environment out of the 32 NFL franchises.
San Francisco drafted Trey Lance with the third overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but have since traded him to the Dallas Cowboys. He played a handful of games in his rookie season, but his 49ers stint came to an end after a season-ending ankle injury in his second year.
Before and after Lance’s injury, the 49ers saw successful seasons from Jimmy Garoppolo (until he also got hurt in 2022). But after Lance and Garoppolo went down, Brock Purdy stepped up.
Purdy was selected with the last pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, making him “Mr. Irrelevant.” Yet he slid in seamlessly in 2022, then blossomed into an MVP candidate in 2023.
Purdy seems to have locked up the starting job in San Francisco, but the 49ers and coach Kyle Shanahan have been able to plug and play quarterbacks across the past few seasons without sacrificing in the win column.
Plus, Sam Darnold — a former Jets quarterback who served as Purdy’s backup in 2023 — is a free agent. Wilson could replace Darnold for the upcoming 2024 season.
Green Bay Packers
Like the 49ers, the Packers have a strong track record with quarterbacks, from Brett Favre to Aaron Rodgers to Jordan Love.
Love hasn’t reached the level of the two former Packer quarterbacks just yet, but he led the franchise to a playoff appearance in his first season as a full-time starter.
Wilson could slot in as the backup to Love for the 2024 season. Love is expected to be the starter once again, but Wilson can still learn from the bench.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are expecting Matthew Stafford to be under center and under the leadership of head coach Sean McVay for the 2024 season.
That’s the big reason why Wilson would fit so well with Los Angeles. McVay is considered one of the top NFL offensive minds, so if someone can develop Wilson into a serviceable backup quarter, it would be McVay.
Also, the backup position will be up for grabs with Carson Wentz’s contract expiring. Wilson would be a cheap option that can learn from a seasoned veteran and Super Bowl winning quarterback in Stafford.
Zach Wilson stats, age and draft class
Wilson was expected to be the franchise quarterback for the Jets when the team selected him with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. But that experiment failed.
The Jets have since brought in Rodgers at the backend of his career in hopes of contending for a Super Bowl.
Wilson has started 33 of the 34 games in which he has appeared across his three NFL seasons. But he has never played a full season, and he has a record of just 12-21 with New York.
The Jets quarterback will turn 25 in August as he enters his fourth NFL season. He’s thrown for 6,293 passing yards, 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. He added 498 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground.
Wilson is one of many disappointing quarterbacks from the 2021 NFL Draft class, one which includes Mac Jones and Davis Mills. Trevor Lawrence was the No. 1 pick to the Jacksonville Jaguars, and Justin Fields was the No. 11 pick to the Chicago Bears. (But Fields could be traded himself ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft, as the Bears own the No. 1 selection.)
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