Will the Jets cut ties with quarterback Zach Wilson when the NFL offseason arrives?

It’s been a tough time of late for the New York Jets and most definitely their quarterback. Unfortunately, or the opposite depending on you look at the situation, that relationship now seems set to come to an end after just one season.

Will the Jets part company with Zach Wilson?

If there is one thing that’s clear, the New York Jets are in need of a quarterback. This is not to say that former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson, is not good at his job, but he’s certainly not shown the kind of progress you’d expect from that kind of player, in what is his second season in New York. Indeed, the signal caller was benched for the second time in a month during New York’s truly embarrassing 19-3 loss to the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars on Thursday night. With that in mind, it probably doesn’t come as a surprise to many that reports now suggest the Jets are seriously considering moving on from the under fire QB.

Indeed, according to said reports, the Jets are now expected to offload Wilson when the offseason arrives. Though there was still hope that Wilson could overcome his visible confidence issues, it seems the franchise has now well and truly lost their own confidence in the young signal caller. Prior to this, Wilson had started the last two games due to Mike White’s rib injury, but when he was taken off during what would become the Jets loss to the Jaguars for third-string QB Chris Streveler, it was the last straw.

Zach Wilson by the numbers

In truth, even if we look for reasons to justify Wilson’s tough time in New York, the reality is he’s done himself no favors. Across the nine games that he’s played in the 2022-23 NFL season, Wilson has completed 54.5% of his passes and thrown just six. Now, as much as that’s not good, when you compare it to the fact that he’s thrown seven interceptions, it becomes unacceptable. To punctuate the point, Wilson entered Week 16 with the lowest completion percentage and highest off-target percentage of any of the 33 qualifying quarterbacks in the league. From simple passes, to silly interceptions the Jets QB has seen fans gradually turn against him in recent weeks to the extent that he was widely booed during the fateful loss to the Jaguars.

While nothing has been set in stone, it’s almost certain that the Jets will be exploring other options in the coming offseason, which means what happens next will most definitely be interesting. To release a player that was the No. 2 overall pick less than two years ago would be unthinkable. On the other hand, it goes without saying that Wilson’s market value has plummeted which means negotiating for what he’s worth on paper will be a difficult prospect when considering what he’s been worth on the field. Rest assured, there is definitely more to come in this uncomfortable situation for the Jets and their QB, but how it will all play out is anyone’s guess.