The Jets traded QB Zach Wilson to the Denver Broncos today. The announcement was made by NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero. It was a photo finish for the two reporters.
A lot of lessons can be learned from Wilson’s three seasons with the Jets, after being the second overall pick in the 2021 draft.
First and foremost, he should not have been rushed into the starting lineup immediately as a rookie, and some with the Jets have admitted as much.
Wilson came out of BYU after his junior year, at just 21 years old, following one standout season for the Cougars against a weak schedule that included opponents like Navy, Troy, Louisiana Tech, UTSA, Texas State and North Alabama.
He needed a lot of work on his mechanics, footwork and reading defenses.
Why didn’t they just let him sit for a while?
Some would say – “Who else did they have?” Well, they had Mike White, who outplayed Wilson in the 2021 camp, but there is no way White was going to be allowed to beat out Wilson. We all know that.
But even if you buy the argument they didn’t have anybody else, that isn’t an excuse. Go find somebody else and give the kid time to develop.
You can’t let hype and commerce impact rushing a rookie QB into action for Week One.
Wilson was traded to Denver, along with a 2024 seventh-round pick, in exchange for a 2024 sixth-rounder.
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