Failure To Launch

By Mike Rifkin

During the NFL off-season, one particular acquisition stole all the headlines. When the New York Jets acquired four-time NFL MVP Aaron Rodgers from the Packers, nobody expected what had happened. Four plays into his Jets tenure, Rodgers tore his Achilles and was replaced by 2021 second-overall pick Zach Wilson. Wilson’s struggles and an outstanding defense were why the Jets went out to get Rodgers.

The Rodgers acquisition sent a jolt of excitement throughout the fanbase and organization. When it was announced that the deal was happening, three Jets players, Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, and Breece Hall, were all celebrating the deal. Who wouldn’t be excited to add a four-time MVP to their team, but the acquisition was a sign that the Jets were done with Zach Wilson? But instead of moving Zach Wilson to another team and bringing in a different backup, the Jets thought Rodgers could mentor Wilson. 

Wilson lost the locker room last November after losing 10-3 to the Patriots. Wilson was asked if he felt he let the defense down at all. Wilson responded by saying “no”. Wilson was 9-22 in that game for 77 yards, and he ran for 26 more yards. The Jets, at that moment, went to Mike White to play.

Back to now, during yesterday’s 32-6 beatdown by the Buffalo Bills, Wilson was benched for Tim Boyle. But Wilson did something significant in that game: he led the Jets to their first touchdown in over 13 quarters and over 40 plus drives before being benched. Jet fans have clamored for this move for quite a while, but this entire season has had one major issue, and it has nothing to do with Wilson.

Has Zach Wilson played well? No, he’s been dreadful, but he also hasn’t been put in a position to succeed. Think back to the Rex Ryan-led Jets with Mark Sanchez at quarterback. Mark Sanchez wasn’t the best quarterback in the world, but he did enough to help his team win. Here are similarities between Wilson and Sanchez: both had former defensive coordinators as head coaches and top-five defenses. Here’s the most significant difference: Mark Sanchez had talent on offense. He had an elite offensive line with a run game featuring future Hall of Famer Ladanian Tomlinson and good receivers. Now Wilson has an offensive line with injuries but has been awful, Breece Hall and Garrett Wilson. 

Here is where the Jets did Zach Wilson dirty. Everything they did was for Aaron Rodgers; they got Rodgers his offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, and brought in his friends Allen Lazard and Randall Cobb. Let’s look at how those guys are doing; Cobb has three catches for 20 yards on the season and hasn’t played in a month. Lazard has 290 yards and a touchdown but has also had massive drops during games. Nathaniel Hackett, who couldn’t Hack-ett as the head coach in Denver last year, hasn’t been the best playcaller either. Hackett never changed the offense to help Wilson but instead wants him to be like Rodgers. 

Yes, Zach Wilson has been awful, and yes, Tim Boyle, Trevor Simiean, or even Chad Pennington should probably get some starts here, but the Jets did something, and now the consequences are coming for the organization. If you draft a kid second overall, you believe in him. But the moment the Owner (Woody Johnson), GM (Joe Douglas), and Coach (Robert Salah) fly to California to recruit Rodgers, it means Wilson can’t be on the roster. Because they don’t believe in him, and the fans don’t believe in him and in waiting for him to mess up so they can boo him. The last disservice the Jets have is having Rodgers around while he is rehabbing. Rodgers rehabs all week in California and then shows up on game days to be in Wilson’s ear. Still, all the cameras focus on Rodgers throwing football pregames, which excited the team and the fans for a possible return. But with the Jets at 4-7, what’s the point of Rodgers returning? Rodgers is a distraction, and the person it hurts the most is Zach Wilson. No matter what happens with Rodgers, Zach Wilson cannot be in New York next year. He needs a change of scenery. Frank Sinatra said in New York, “ If I can make it here, I’ll make it anywhere.” Zach Wilson hasn’t made it here and would be better anywhere else.