Ian Rapoport: Jets expected to attempt trading QB Zach Wilson this offseason

In 2021, the New York Jets used the second overall pick on Zach Wilson. The hope was that he could become the team’s franchise quarterback but that hasn’t been the case through three seasons. Now, it looks like the two sides are heading for a restart.

Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reported that the Jets are going to try and trade Wilson away during the offseason. That will give him a chance to restart his career somewhere new while New York hopes to get Aaron Rodgers back.

“The New York Jets have put Zach Wilson, their former starting quarterback, on injured reserve this week,” Rapoport said. “And the likelihood is that he’s played his last down with the Jets. My understanding is this offseason they’re expected to seek to trade Zach Wilson, moving on from a pick that simply did not work out well.”

Even with how low his value is at this point in his career, New York could still get something back for Wilson due to his positional value.

“You say, ‘How could the Jets trade him?’ I would say this, every quarterback gets traded. I would not expect them to cut him,” Rapoport concluded.

After two seasons with Wilson struggling, the New York Jets brought in Aaron Rodgers to lead the team. The hope was that they could win now with Rodgers and he could mentor Wilson to take the position back over in the future. However, a torn Achilles in Week 1 threw a massive wrench into that and New York had issues with the position for the rest of the season.

Zach Wilson has played in 34 games with New York, including 12 this season with 11 starts. Statistically, 2023-24 was his best, completing 60.1 percent of his passes for 2,271 yards and eight touchdowns with seven interceptions.

In New York’s loss to the Miami Dolphins, Wilson got knocked out of the game with a head injury. Now on IR, it looks like that was his last game as a Jet. If it was, it was another disaster. New York got shut out while Wilson only completed four passes for 26 yards.

Aaron Rodgers fired back at reports Zach Wilson reluctant to start again for Jets

In early December, there were reports that Zach Wilson was reluctant to play for the Jets again this season. However, Aaron Rodgers shot back at that idea.

“When you have sources, and that’s always an interesting thing… When you use sources, whether intentional or unintentional, to assassinate someone’s character like that report does for Zach, I have a real hard time with that,” Rodgers said.

“How can you not read it any other way? You’re saying that this kid is basically quitting on his team and doesn’t want to play, giving the middle finger to the organization. Listen, I don’t want to speak for him because he’s going to get a chance to speak this week. I’ll tell you that I love the kid. I’ve spent a lot of time with him. I think he’s an amazing young man. And he is young… he’s gone through a lot of shit over the last three years. I think he has every right to be frustrated and disappointed about it. I think he’s done a good job of stepping up and taking accountability this year when it’s been his part to do it.”