The New York Jets have been one of the more proactive teams in the NFL this offseason. General Manager, Joe Douglas, has spent money strengthening both sides of the ball in the hope of improving upon the Jets 4-13 record in 2021. The hope is these upgrades can help Zach Wilson take the next step in his sophomore season, and the Jets are doing everything they can to help him succeed.
Rookie seasons don’t get much worse than Wilson’s. The second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft struggled to adjust to life in the NFL after a breakout season with BYU in 2020. Wilson completed just 55.6 percent of his passes while throwing only 9 touchdowns against 11 interceptions. Wilson showed flashes of the brilliance that the Jets saw in him, but there were the usual rookie growing pains.
Wilson has rare arm talent and can make throws that most NFL quarterbacks can only dream of, but a lot went wrong in his rookie season. He struggled to push the ball downfield with regularity, suffered from inaccuracy issues and the ability to make plays within the pocket. Despite the obvious talent, it’s hard not to view his season in a pessimistic manner.
But, there’s a catch. Wilson was essentially doomed from the word ‘go’ in his rookie campaign. The Jets 2-14 record in 2020 was no fluke. The team was built to lose and though improvements were made in the offseason, Wilson went into a situation with a lack of weapons on the outside and one of the poorer offensive lines in the league. His play was certainly erratic, but the context is important, especially for a 22-year-old rookie.
Wilson was sacked 44 times in 2021 and, while some of that pressure was owed to him holding onto the ball for too long, 38.5 percent of his dropbacks were in a pressured pocket, the third-most in the NFL, per PFF. There was talent on the offensive line, but not enough production, or at least consistent production.
The same could be said for Wilson’s receiving weapons. There was definitely talent at wide receiver in 2021. The Jets signed Corey Davis after his breakout season with the Titans in 2020, but he was limited to just 34 catches in 9 games. Elijah Moore showed promise in his rookie season while forming a nice connection with Wilson, catching 43 passes for 538 yards and 5 scores but, like Davis, injuries limited his time on the field.
Other than Davis and Moore, there was Braxton Berrios and Jamieson Crowder. The former did enough to earn a new contract with the Jets, while the latter moved on. In total, the Jets receivers dropped 31 of Wilson’s passes – no quarterback had a higher drop percentage, per PFF. It’s a story of inconsistency and poor play across the board. It’s easy to reaffirm the belief that the talent is there, but more needs to be done from the front office to the players and coaches.
Free agency saw the Jets sign Laken Tomlinson, an experienced guard familiar with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur and head coach Robert Saleh thanks to his time with the 49ers. With Becton back healthy and George Fant expected to start at right tackle, the Jets offensive line could be among the better units in the league if they’re able to fit the pieces together. It won’t be a top 5 unit, but improved protection for Wilson will go a long way.
Just as much, if not more, emphasis was put on improving who Wilson was throwing the ball to. The Jets spent money bringing in C.J. Uzomah and Tyler Conklin at tight end. Uzomah had a breakout season with the Bengals in 2021 while Conklin has all the chops to be a reliable TE2.
The big move was made at the draft. The Jets selected Ohio State’s dynamic wideout, Garrett Wilson, with the 10th overall pick. Wilson is an all-around great receiver and someone who can project as a true X in the NFL. With Wilson, Moore, and Davis, the Jets have three receivers who can all legitimately play as an X receiver, in the slot, or as a traditional Z receiver.
The moves made on offense, as well as the defensive side of the ball, are all about improvement. The Jets are building a roster that could be a problem in the AFC East. There’s no guarantee of a playoff run, or even double-digit wins, but all the signs are there. The front office never supported Sam Darnold in the way they’ve supported Wilson. They’re learning from their mistakes and doing all they can for their soon-to-be franchise quarterback. Hopefully, he can repay the favour.
-Thomas Valentine
Twitter: @ThomasValenfine
Photo: Tennessee Titans. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.