This season hasn’t gone according to plan for the New York Jets in a variety of ways. Their poor play has led to multiple firings, a dismal 4-11 record, and public outbursts that go beyond the usual New York media hyperbole.
The latest player to openly gripe about the direction the team is heading in is star wide receiver Garrett Wilson. Wilson voiced his displeasure in his latest media availability, telling reporters “I’d like to be involved, love to make an impact on the game, but people see it differently,” Wilson said. “That’s out of my control.”
When asked why he thinks he isn’t more involved in the passing game the 24 year old responded “I don’t know…To be honest with you, I don’t know. I feel like I ran good routes this game. I feel like I had an opportunity to help the team, but sometimes it just doesn’t fall like that.”
“Anytime we don’t win, and I’m not that involved, it’s tough,” he said. “I’m not going to sit here and say I haven’t been involved, but I just think I’ve got more to give. … I think I can help us. They know that.”
New York dropped their Week 16 contest against the visiting Los Angeles Rams 19-9 in a game where Wilson caught 6 balls for 54 yards. Unfortunately, 4 of those receptions came in the final two drives of the game, leaving the star WR to do cardio for the better part of the matchup.
The New York media has already speculated that the former 10th overall pick from the 2022 NFL Draft could ask for a trade this offseason. Couple that with the fact that the front office will be looking to bring in a new head coach and GM this offseason, and one can see how things could go sideways for the Jets in a hurry this winter.
“At the end of the day, this is my legacy, this is what I do,” Wilson said. “When they turn on the film, I just always want to leave a good impression on people, that I’m running good routes, that I can find an open spot in the zone, whatever it may be.”
A huge part of New York and Wilson’s future will likely hinge on whatever the new management group decides to do with current QB Aaron Rodgers. The 41 year old is playing arguably some of the worst football of his career, and a parting of ways could be forthcoming for the team and signal caller prior to 2025.
Whatever the new coach and GM opt to do, it will have effects beyond just Rodgers, as longtime teammate Davante Adams, whom the team acquired via trade earlier this season, will likely be keeping a close eye on how things play out before making any decisions on his future with the club. Adams, whom Rodgers has years of chemistry with from their time in Green Bay, has become a focal point of the offence in recent weeks, seeing at least 11 targets in 5 of the team’s last 6 contests.
If both Rodgers and Adams depart in the offseason, that leaves a massive void of targets which Wilson could ostensibly absorb. But the question then becomes who would be throwing him the ball?
All in all, it’s been another chaotic season for the Jets as the team will add yet another playoff-less campaign to their running tally that dates back to 2010.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner
Photo: Tennessee Titans. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported license.