Coming off a frustrating debut season, Zach Wilson is hoping to take a major step forward in 2022. We know the long hours Wilson spent in the weight room this offseason (he reportedly put on 13 pounds of muscle), but when it comes to accuracy, he’s still a work in progress. As a rookie, Wilson ranked dead-last out of 30 qualifiers in completion percentage (55.6) and, based on what former NFL beat reporter Mike Kaye saw Wednesday at Jets OTAs, the second-year signal-caller has a long way to go.
“I got a close look on Wednesday during OTAs at the team’s facility, and I came away with a shoulder shrug of sorts,” said Kaye, who was on the Eagles’ beat last season and covered the Jaguars before that. “Wilson got off to a rough start in team drills as his first four passes were as follows: a throw behind Corey Davis, a throw that hovered over everyone, a clear throwaway after being flushed out of the pocket and another bad misfire.”
Kaye says Wilson got better as the session went along, noting his improved chemistry with deep threat Elijah Moore. Wilson’s “trademark athleticism” was also on display, though Kaye remains skeptical, still wondering whether the 22-year-old has what it takes to be a franchise quarterback.
“Wilson isn’t at the point where he can raise the performances of others, and I think ultimately, that’s where the Jets want and need him to be,” said Kaye. “I think he’s still a massive projection at this point, especially in June of Year 2.”
It would be a mistake to write off Wilson based on one underwhelming practice in June. Not only does Wilson look more confident than he did a year ago, but he also has a much better supporting cast, with rookies Garrett Wilson and Breece Hall headlining what was universally applauded as a strong draft haul. Similar to what the Dolphins and Eagles have done this offseason, the Jets are giving Wilson every opportunity to succeed by surrounding him with as many weapons as possible. The coaching staff and GM Joe Douglas have both done their part. Now it’s on Wilson to prove he’s worth building around.
Related
Related
LISTEN on the Audacy App
Sign Up and Follow Audacy Sports
Facebook | Twitter | Instagram