Zach Wilson and beyond: Jets quarterback options for the 2023 season
The New York Jets escaped Metlife Stadium with a 22-16 win in overtime against the Buffalo Bills on Monday, Sept. 11. Fans were in a frenzy when Jets’ rookie wide receiver Xavier Gipson returned a punt 65 yards for the walk-off score; it was a spectacular moment, and an even better story as Gipson went undrafted in this year’s National Football League Draft. Sadly, the return and game at large were overshadowed by quarterback Aaron Rodgers tearing his Achilles earlier in the night.
The injury was just another devastating moment for a fanbase that is all too familiar with heartbreak. Backup quarterback Zach Wilson was able to fill in nicely and threw for 140 yards and one touchdown in the surprising victory. Despite the excitement and Wilson’s admirable performance, the question that New York fans must be wondering is: how will the Jets’ franchise handle their quarterback situation for the rest of the season?
Many fans have suggested that general manager Joe Douglas should look towards the free agent market for the next quarterback to don the green-and-white. There are several intriguing options, including former Philadelphia Eagles quarterbacks Carson Wentz and Nick Foles, with whom Douglas is already familiar. The duo won the Super Bowl together in 2019 while Douglas was serving as Philadelphia’s Vice President of Player Personnel.
Wentz is the more likely option, considering that he is four years younger than Foles and has a lot more energy to spare. Wentz threw for a mere 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions in only eight games with the Washington Commanders last season, however; his disappointing performance last season might force the Jets to look elsewhere in their quarterback search.
Former stars Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan are two other veteran quarterback options in the free-agent market. The issue with Flacco and Ryan, though, is that both are in their late 30s and retirement seems the more probable decision at this point in their respective careers.
Another avenue the team may explore is trading for a quarterback who is currently rostered on another team. A few options include Tennessee Titans’ Ryan Tannehill, Washington Commanders’ Jacoby Brissett, New Orleans Saints’ Jameis Winston, and Minnesota Vikings’ Kirk Cousins. While most of them are backups, they still have the ability to become solid starting quarterbacks.
Brissett and Winston would be the more team-friendly options with their respective contracts, as Brissett is currently signed to a one-year deal worth eight million dollars, while Winston’s deal is also for one year and worth four million dollars. Both have put up solid numbers as starters, as Winston has only started ten games in his three seasons as a New Orleans Saint, but has thrown for 2,103 yards and 18 touchdowns, with eight interceptions. Brissett performed admirably for a mediocre Cleveland Browns team last season, taking over as a starter after Deshaun Watson was suspended. He proceeded to throw 12 touchdowns and had six interceptions for a season QB rating of 88.9.
Ryan Tannehill seems to be the least attractive option for New York considering he threw three interceptions in a week-one loss to the Saints this season. Tannehill’s age is also a concern, as he just turned 35 years old in July. The positive to Tannehill, though, is that he is also in the final year of his contract and there is a genuine possibility that the Tennessee Titans send him to a new squad before his deal with the team expires.
Kirk Cousins, on the other hand, is the most talented and accomplished QB of these trade options. Cousins has a no-trade clause, however, and it is highly unlikely that he waives it to play for the Jets; their front office could potentially sign him depending on the progress of Rodgers’ recovery once his contract expires in the offseason, though.
The last option the Jets will explore is simply sticking with Zach Wilson. This might not be the most intriguing scenario for fans, but it may be a reality that they will have to accept. Wilson is still only 24 years old and was the second overall pick in the NFL Draft just two years ago. However, after two lackluster seasons, New York’s fanbase was all but ready to see Zach Wilson cast off to another team. Fans’ initial worries about New York’s future with Wilson seemed to go away when they traded for star quarterback and future hall-of-famer Aaron Rodgers. In typical Jets fashion, though, things didn’t go quite to plan, and Wilson is right back in as the starting quarterback.
Regardless, this season will prove to be the opportunity of a lifetime for Wilson, who is surrounded by undoubtedly the most talented team the Jets have had in over a decade. If he can somehow lead this young and talented group into the playoffs for the first time in 12 years, fans will quickly forget his past struggles and embrace him as a hero.
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