After a couple of rough practices for quarterback Zach Wilson, Jets head coach Robert Saleh cautioned that things usually get worse before they get better for rookie quarterbacks.
Saturday night’s preseason debut against the Giants did not back up Saleh’s assessment. The Jets opened with a lot of running plays while mixing in some easy completions for Wilson on the way to a field goal and then asked a bit more of him on the second series. Wilson delivered a strike to Keelan Cole to convert a third down and found tight end Tyler Kroft to make back 13 yards after a penalty, but the Jets couldn’t convert on fourth down to put more points on the board.
Wilson finished 6-of-9 for 63 yards and didn’t have to show off his improvisational ability as quick throws and solid blocking made for an efficient opening effort for the second overall pick.
“I felt comfortable,” Wilson said, via the team’s website. “I know the guys around us felt comfortable. I think our coaches prepared us for it. I think we felt good going out there.”
Wilson is likely set for more playing time against the Packers next weekend and he’ll also have a pair of joint practices to use in an effort to avoid the kind of rocky road that Saleh has seen other rookie quarterbacks go down early in their careers.
