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You know, I’m beginning to suspect that the undersized QB who played at BYU during a historically strange COVID-ravaged college football season that the New York Jets drafted with the #2 overall pick may not be all that good. This, of course, is not an original thought. It’s my own, as I tweeted these exact words on… October 31, 2021! Over an entire year ago.
Beginning to suspect that the undersized QB who played at BYU during a historically strange COVID-ravaged college football season that the Jets drafted with the #2 overall pick may not be all that good.
— Eric Italiano (@eric_ital) October 31, 2021
That’s the thing with franchise QBs — other than the likes of Jalen Hurts, which happens once every few years — you can usually tell whether or not someone is “the guy” pretty quickly. Certainly within their first season or so. Just look at Joe Burrow.
Zach Wilson, unfortunately for me and Jets fans across the world, is very much *not* that guy. Not only is he perhaps the league’s worst starting QB on the field, but his off-the-field attitude is piss poor. Truly as bad as I’ve ever seen without breaking any laws.
When the Jets got manhandled by the Pats late last month, I brought you the story of Wilson saying he “doesn’t care about stats” after tossing three game-losing interceptions (also while chomping on gum like a middle schooler). Then, on Sunday, Wilson displayed similarly nonexistent leadership by telling the media he didn’t let the defense down after the offense put up more punts than completions.
This unwillingness to take accountability seems to be affecting Wilson’s standing in the locker room, as new reports indicate his comments from Sunday have rubbed other Jets players the wrong way.
And it’s a shame for both the Jets and their fans, too, as this 2022 squad is easily the most talented team they’ve had in years and would legitimately be one of the league’s best teams if their quarterback was capable of even playing average. Which he isn’t. This is where head coach Robert Saleh comes in.
Back in early November, Saleh said that — barring injury — Wilson would be the team’s starter for the remainder of the season. Saleh said this despite the fact that the Jets have a legitimate chance to make the playoffs. And now, with Wilson floundering both as a playmaker and as a leader, Saleh now has to either go back on his word or continue to hold the team back for Wilson’s sake. Just another season for the New York Jets, who will undoubtedly miss the playoffs if they continue to stick with Wilson, who has likely lost both the locker room and fanbase by now.
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