Jets owner Woody Johnson spoke with reporters on Monday, and was noticeably less frustrated than when he talked about the state of the team at the NFL Honors event earlier this year.
Perhaps the new additions of Tyron Smith and Mike Williams helped in that regard, as Johnson said this Jets team should, without question, be better than its predecessor.
“We got a good receiver in Mike Williams, I think Garrett Wilson is probably the best receiver in the league, or certainly one of the top,” Johnson said. “We have a great running back [in Breece Hall], I think we’re gonna have a good line, and a quarterback that can stay on his feet. With Aaron [Rodgers], you can tell the receiver to count to 10, put your hands out here, look around, and the ball will be in your hands. That’s what happens. He’s so accurate, it’s unbelievable.”
Still, some fans were frustrated to see season ticket prices rise after a disastrous season, which Johnson addressed on Monday. The Jets raised ticket prices for the third straight year, this time by 10 percent, and moved up the renewal deadline all the way to November (it was usually in the spring), just months after Rodgers went down with a season-ending Achilles injury.
“The cost of doing business has just gone up,” Johnson said, via Zack Rosenblatt of the New York Post. “That’s just an unfortunate fact of life now. It’s not something we like to do, that’s for sure. We work for the fans so we listen to them. We’ll try to get you some wins.”
Perhaps the most interesting tidbit from Johnson came in regards to progress on a Zach Wilson trade. Johnson, after indirectly throwing shade at the former No. 2 pick by saying the Jets didn’t have a backup quarterback last season, called Wilson an asset, and that the Jets would not release him if they can’t find a suitable trade partner.
“He's got the skill. He can do everything. There's a reason we drafted him at No. 2 overall,” Johnson said. “If we don’t trade him, we’re going to keep him. It’s possible that he can do it here. From his standpoint, it’s probably better that he changes places.”