The Jets are putting Zach Wilson on the bench. But they’re not pulling the plug on him.
While it’s rare to have a highly-drafted quarterback take a step back, the Jets believe it’s a necessary step in Wilson’s broader long-term effort to become the best quarterback he can be.
Per a source with knowledge of the situation, there’s no timeline on this move. Ultimately, it comes down to when Wilson shows that he’s ready to resume his role in the lineup.
The problem seems to be that, in his desire to be great, Wilson has lost sight of the things needed to be ordinary. The magical moments -- no-look throws, sidearm missiles, etc. -- don’t just happen. They’re the product of checking the boxes on the fundamentals over and over and over again.
Recently, Wilson hasn’t been doing that. From bad footwork to issues with accuracy on short, easy throws to bad decisions when it comes to going through the progressions, Wilson wasn’t getting it done.
Now, he’ll run the scout team. He’ll get a chance to hit, for lack of a better term, the reset button on his career, while focusing simply on playing the position. Once he shows that he has done it, then he’ll be back under center.
Along the way, those who currently are blaming Wilson for the offense’s struggles may understand that it’s not just Wilson. And then maybe people will realize that things will actually get better once he’s back.
So it’s not the end of the road for Wilson. It’s a fork in the road. And it’s up to Wilson to choose the right path and stick to it.