The New York Jets’ 2023-24 season did not go according to plan. The team had high hopes of making a strong run for the Super Bowl, but those dreams were shattered when Aaron Rodgers suffered an Achilles injury on opening night. This forced the Jets to turn to Zach Wilson as their starting quarterback once again.
Originally, this season was meant to be a learning experience for Wilson. He was supposed to take a step back and learn from one of the best QBs in the game. However, circumstances forced him into action, and he did his best to fill Rodgers’ shoes.
Despite his efforts, Jets owner Woody Johnson was not satisfied with Wilson’s performance. When asked about the team’s needs in the upcoming offseason, Johnson bluntly stated, “We need a backup quarterback. We didn’t have one last year.” This comment shows that Johnson was not impressed with Wilson’s abilities.
Wilson’s statistics for the season were underwhelming, with 2,271 passing yards, 8 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and a QBR of 30.6. It’s clear that he did not perform at a high level. However, it’s important to consider the circumstances he was thrust into. The team’s mindset during training camp was that Rodgers would be the main QB, so Wilson was not as prepared as he could have been.
In addition to this, Wilson had to deal with a struggling offensive line. Throughout the season, the Jets’ O-line had difficulties, often leaving Wilson with no choice but to throw the ball away or risk getting hit immediately after the snap.
There was even a brief period where Wilson was benched in favor of Tim Boyle, but that experiment failed and the team had to go back to Wilson. Johnson did not stop at criticizing Wilson, as he also hinted that head coach Robert Saleh’s job could be on the line if he fails to produce results in the upcoming season.
The Jets took a major risk by not signing an experienced veteran as a backup to Rodgers. This decision backfired when Rodgers got injured, leaving the team unprepared. It’s likely that they will address this issue in the offseason to ensure they are better equipped for any future setbacks.
According to the Source firstsportz.com