By Marvin Moore September 22, 2023
Zach Wilson will get his final chance to be the New York Jets starting quarterback Sunday against the New England Patriots. Why the Jets haven’t already traded for a competent quarterback is odder than an Alfred Hitchcock mystery.
Wilson is winless in four starts against the Patriots. He has won only eight of his 23 NFL starting assignments and has more career interceptions than touchdowns. It’s not like the organization doesn’t know the second overall pick in the 2021 draft isn’t ready to lead the team to the promised land.
I bet Jets general manager Joe Douglas is discreetly looking to add a veteran quarterback next week. New York was a legitimate Super Bowl contender before losing Aaron Rodgers in the season opener. It would be ridiculous to handcuff a playoff-caliber squad with a 24-year-old quarterback who was demoted to third-string last season behind Mike White and Joe Flacco.
Unfortunately for the “Gang Green,” future Hall of Famer Tom Brady has no plans to unretire at the age of 46. But other viable options make too much sense to ignore.
Jameis Winston is stuck behind Derek Carr in New Orleans and would be an instant upgrade over Wilson. The 29-year-old went 5-2 with 14 touchdowns and three interceptions two years ago before suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 8.
The top overall pick in 2015, Winston has started 80 games in his nine-year career and has thrown for nearly 22,000 yards and 139 touchdowns. The arrival of Carr has closed the door on the former Heisman Trophy winner regaining the Saints starting gig. Winston is a veteran gunslinger who is earning the league minimum this season. He has the upside to make the Jets a solid playoff contender again.
Another trade target, Teddy Bridgewater, spent five months with the Jets during the 2018 preseason. The 30-year-old Detriot backup has posted a 33-32 record in 65 starts and has completed 66.4% of his 2,067 career passes. Bridgewater doesn’t have a cannon-like arm like Winston, but he is a savvy veteran who will give the Jets a chance to win every week.
Washington backup Jacoby Brissett went 4-7 last season with the Cleveland Browns. The 30-year-old has won 18 of his 30 career starts while throwing for over 10,000 yards and 48 scoring passes. Although he doesn’t possess the upside as Winston and Bridgewater, he is definitely a better option than Wilson.
A pair of veteran starting quarterbacks – Kirk Cousins and Ryan Tannehill might be available at the NFL’s October 31 trade deadline if the Vikings and Titans are already out of the playoff race. However, if the Jets wait another five weeks before adding a new signal-caller, their season could already be over.
Wilson was terrible in Week 2 against the Dallas Cowboys. He finished with just 12 completions for 170 yards – and 68 yards came on a quick slant that ended up being a touchdown when Cowboys safety Malik Hooker missed an easy tackle. Wilson guided the Jets on seven fruitless drives that logged a total of 93 yards. Ouch!
Due to a new procedure to repair torn Achilles, it’s not out of the question that Rodgers could return to action in the postseason. Thus, the Jets’ management has an incentive to trade for a substitute quarterback who can guide the team into the playoffs. And it’s no secret that Wilson is not a viable option.
The former BYU standout has struggled mightily against the Patriots. In a 10-3 loss in Week 11 last year, Wilson completed just 9 of 22 passes for 77 yards. He has completed an ugly 50.9 percent of his passes and thrown two touchdowns and seven interceptions in four outings opposite New England.
Perhaps Wilson will develop into a franchise quarterback in a few years. But if the Jets want to qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2010, a new quarterback will arrive in town on Monday.
