Category: zach wilson

Jets news: Aaron Rodgers’ Week 4 plan will light fire under Zach Wilson vs Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

October 1, 2023

Week 4 of the 2023 NFL season was originally expected to feature a heavyweight quarterback duel between New York Jets star Aaron Rodgers and Kansas City Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes. Instead, the glitter of this Chiefs-Jets matchup has greatly decreased, with Rodgers out with an injury, leaving New York to rely on Zach Wilson for their needs under center. It’s not ideal for the Jets, but they are sticking with Wilson, who could use some support from Rodgers.

Rodgers is expected to be in attendance to watch the Jets take on the reigning Super Bowl champions, according to NFL insider Jordan Schultz. Hopefully for Wilson and the Jets, Rodgers’ presence at MetLife Stadium on Sunday will light a fire under the young QB, as New York looks to prevent a three-game losing skid.

Sources: Aaron Rodgers is currently in the #Jets’ facility and will attend Sunday Night Football against the #Chiefs, after being cleared by his doctor. I’m told Rodgers just attended the team meeting and spoke to his teammates. Good boost for Zach Wilson to have Rodgers there supporting him.

The Jets scored a shock 22-16 overtime win in Week 1 over the Buffalo Bills, the same in which Aaron Rodgers suffered the season-ending Achilles rupture injury, then suffered back-to-back losses to the Dallas Cowboys and to the New England Patriots in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively.

Wilson hasn’t been effective as the starter for the Jets. In three appearances this season, he has passed for 467 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions, while completing only 52.4 percent of his passes. It might not be long before Wilson gets replaced as the starter for the Jets, but a strong performance against the Chiefs could turn things around for the former No. 2 overall pick.

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Aaron Rodgers’ replacement as Jets captain after injury, revealed

September 29, 2023

After his season-ending (maybe?) injury in Week 1, Aaron Rodgers was replaced as New York Jets starting quarterback by Zach Wilson. Now, three weeks later he has been replaced as one of New York’s team captains.

But Wilson, a captain last season, didn’t get this call.

Instead, coach Robert Saleh announced Friday that All-Pro defensive tackle Quinnen Williams will join linebacker C.J. Mosley and special teams ace Justin Hardee as captain.

Saleh explained that Williams finished fourth in captain’s voting prior to the season opener and had a “significant” vote total. That was good enough for the coach to have him replace Rodgers, even though it means the Jets do not have a captain on offense.

“After just thinking about it, I was like, ‘Why not?’” Saleh said. “The guy’s such a vocal leader on this team. He says all the right things, he does all the right things. He stands for everything we believe in.”

Williams, a first-round pick by the Jets in 2019, had a breakout season in 2022. He had 12 sacks and was named First-Team All-Pro. The 25-year-old then landed a massive new contract this summer.

Though he doesn’t have a sack yet this season, Williams has 12 QB pressures and has been a force against the run and pass, often taking on double teams. Williams is extremely respected by his teammates on both sides of the ball.

The Jets do select a different player each week to be the fourth captain. Williams was the Week 1 selection, and it wouldn’t be a surprise if Saleh chooses an offensive player regularly so that part of the team is represented each week. Young star Garrett Wilson would appear to be in line for that opportunity, as would veterans Tyler Conklin, Randall Cobb, Laken Tomlinson and Connor McGovern.

And if Wilson can straighten out his game, it would be a natural fit to have the QB be a captain, at least once.

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Jets QB Zach Wilson takes high road after Joe Namath’s scathing criticism

September 29, 2023

New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson took the high road after legend Joe Namath’s harsh criticism. Instead of firing back at Namath, Wilson said some nice words about “Broadway Joe.” Not only that, but Zach Wilson also admitted he must improve under center for the Jets, per SNY TV.

Several individuals from the Jets have defended Zach Wilson amid Joe Namath’s scathing criticism. Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett paid tribute to Namath’s greatness in a recent interview with  The Athletic. However, Hackett also believes they can prove Namath wrong moving forward.

New York wide receiver Garrett Wilson was on the same page as Nathaniel Hackett. The former said he also wanted the Jets to prove “Broadway Joe” wrong.

“We love Joe…But I hope we find a way to use that as ammunition. And one day, that Joe Namath can admit that he was wrong. Hopefully we can make him eat his words,” Garrett Wilson said.

Zach Wilson hasn’t met expectations since the Jets made him the second overall selection of the 2021 NFL Draft. He has thrown for 4,489 yards, 17 touchdowns, and 22 interceptions in 25 appearances as Jets quarterback. Wilson led New York to an exciting win over the Buffalo Bills in Week 1.

Wilson hasn’t been productive in the Jets’ past two games against the Dallas Cowboys and New England Patriots. His quarterback rating dipped to an abysmal 17.8 in the 15-10 loss to the Patriots in Week 3. Wilson’s sub-par performance prompted Joe Namath to call him out.

It doesn’t get any easier for Zach Wilson and New York. They will face the defending Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. If Wilson has a breakthrough game against the Chiefs, he will silence his naysayers.

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Zach Wilson’s perfectly classy response to Willie Gay’s savage burn ahead of Jets-Chiefs game

September 29, 2023

Zach Wilson and the New York Jets are looking to get their season back on track after consecutive losses to make their record 1-2. Wilson took over for newly-signed quarterback Aaron Rodgers after the star’s Achilles injury, but thus far he has been unable to lead the Jets’ offense to much success.

The Jets’ next opponent are the reigning Super Bowl Champion Kansas City Chiefs, and Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay recently took a shot at Wilson and the Jets, calling New York a “team that wants to run the ball.”

Wilson, however, does not appear to be taking offense to the comments. He recently said that he hadn’t heard what Gay said but doesn’t mind the comments.

“We’ll be ready as an offense,” Wilson said, per Cononr Hughes of SNYtv.

Zach Wilson has struggled in his return to quarterbacking duties for the Jets. Wilson was drafted by the team with the second pick in the 2021 NFL Draft but was unable to live up to expectations as a rookie, eventually falling out of the rotation altogether in 2022.

However, when Rodgers went down, Wilson was called upon to resume his role, and the team won his first game back under center in a thrilling contest against the Buffalo Bills.

Still, with two straight losses since that game and a matchup impending against the Chiefs, things will not get any easier for Wilson and New York. The Jets and Chiefs are set to kick off on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET from MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

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Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett responds to Joe Namath’s fiery Zach Wilson take

September 28, 2023

New York Jets legend Joe Namath came out hard against Zach Wilson this week, saying the team should move on, and Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett responded to Namath’s comments in his press conference ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“He’s a great, great football player,” Nathaniel Hackett said, via Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. “He has every right to his opinion. And we have every right to prove him wrong.”

Namath went on The Michael Kay Show and voiced his displeasure for Zach Wilson’s play, saying there was nothing redeemable about his performance in the 15-10 loss to the New England Patriots last Sunday. The Jets were unable to end their losing streak against the Patriots, and the last time they won against them was in 2015.

The Jets came into the year with Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback, but of course, he tore his Achilles on the fourth play in his first game with the team. The Jets came back to win that game against the Buffalo Bills, but have struggled offensively overall and have since lost to the Dallas Cowboys and Patriots.

The Patriots game was huge, because it is a tough task for the Jets to win this week against the Chiefs. Wilson will have to perform way better than he has so far this season, and it will be up to Hackett and the offensive staff to come up with a plan to pull the upset. It would be a shocking outcome, but the Jets believe Wilson gives them the best chance to win.

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Jets’ Nathaniel Hackett responds to Joe Namath’s fiery Zach Wilson take

September 28, 2023

New York Jets legend Joe Namath came out hard against Zach Wilson this week, saying the team should move on, and Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett responded to Namath’s comments in his press conference ahead of Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs.

“He’s a great, great football player,” Nathaniel Hackett said, via Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic. “He has every right to his opinion. And we have every right to prove him wrong.”

Namath went on The Michael Kay Show and voiced his displeasure for Zach Wilson’s play, saying there was nothing redeemable about his performance in the 15-10 loss to the New England Patriots last Sunday. The Jets were unable to end their losing streak against the Patriots, and the last time they won against them was in 2015.

The Jets came into the year with Aaron Rodgers as the starting quarterback, but of course, he tore his Achilles on the fourth play in his first game with the team. The Jets came back to win that game against the Buffalo Bills, but have struggled offensively overall and have since lost to the Dallas Cowboys and Patriots.

The Patriots game was huge, because it is a tough task for the Jets to win this week against the Chiefs. Wilson will have to perform way better than he has so far this season, and it will be up to Hackett and the offensive staff to come up with a plan to pull the upset. It would be a shocking outcome, but the Jets believe Wilson gives them the best chance to win.

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Chiefs LB takes painful shot at Zach Wilson with blunt take on Jets offense

September 28, 2023

The New York Jets’ 2023 season wasn’t supposed to unfold the way it has, with blockbuster offseason addition, star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, tearing his Achilles shortly into his debut for his new team. Now, the onus is on Zach Wilson to fill in Rodgers’ shoes. That is a very tough ask for anyone, much less for the 24-year old quarterback who’s struggled quite often in his brief NFL career thus far, and the Jets’ Week 4 matchup, the Kansas City Chiefs, don’t seem particularly confident in Wilson’s ability to carve up their defense.

In particular, Chiefs linebacker Willie Gay, when asked about his observations when watching tape of Wilson, expressed his doubts regarding the Jets quarterback’s ability to lead the offense. Gay, instead, is bracing for the Jets to rely heavily on the rushing game.

“[The Jets are] a team that wants to run the ball. That wasn’t [meant to be] funny or anything, but A-Rod got hurt and they turned into a team where [they’re] like in panic mode, almost. That’s what I see,” Gay said, per Aaron Ladd of KHSB 41.

Over the past two weeks, the Jets have, indeed, looked like a team that’s in panic mode. They have not been able to get into any sort of consistent offensive rhythm, and some of the blame for that certainly falls on Zach Wilson’s shoulders, despite the team’s confidence in him.

Wilson, after leading the Jets to a spirited Week 1 victory, has struggled ever since. In Week 2, he completed just 12 out of 27 pass attempts, while in Week 3, he went 18/36; during those games, he averaged a measly 5.19 yards per attempt. When a team’s passing game has difficulties getting going, it’s hard to open up the running game, causing an overall systemic collapse for the Jets for the past two weeks.

Nevertheless, the Chiefs linebacker gave props to the Jets’ rushing corps, remaining cognizant of the threat they pose heading into their Week 4 clash.

“They got great running backs so now they just try to pound and ground,” Gay added. “Like I said, three great [running backs], so I feel like that’s their game plan.”

Tune in on Sunday night to see whether Zach Wilson and the Jets can make the Chiefs linebacker eat his words.

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CFL news: Edmonton Elks favored to sign Zach Wilson if released by Jets in 2023

September 27, 2023

Zach Wilson continues to be loathed by frustrated New York Jets fans, whose high hopes for the team were extinguished as soon as Aaron Rodgers went down with a season-ending injury right in the very first week of the 2023 NFL regular season. Wilson continues to be the starting quarterback for the team in lieu of Rodgers, but he’s not impressing people either. Not a few want him gone in New York, and it’s even come to the point that odds have been put up about his potential to move not just to another NFL team but to another league, particularly the CFL.

Over at Bovada Sportsbook, the Edmonton Elks are viewed as the favorite CFL team to land the services of Zach Wilson. The Elks are priced at +350 to acquire Wilson. There is a caveat, though. For that kind of bet to convey into a win, Wilson “Must be Released From NFL in 2023 and Play in the CFL in 2023 or 2024,” per Bovada.

Apart from the Elks, the Hamilton Tiger-Cats and the Calgary Stampeders are also the top teams on the board with the potential to have Wilson by next year. The Tiger-Cats have odds of +450 while the Stampeders are at +650.

The Jets still have Wilson atop the quarterback pecking order, but the team has also just recently made a move to shore up their QB room a bit when they signed Trevor Siemian to their practice squad. It might not be too long before Siemian finds his way to the Jets’ active roster, especially if Wilson continues to struggle. Behind Zach Wilson as his chief backup is Tim Boyle.

On the season, Wilson has passed for only 467 yards and two touchdowns with already four interceptions while completing only 54.9 percent of his throws.

As the current starter of the Jets, Wilson still has a chance of turning people’s perception of him around. He can begin with that on Sunday with a matchup against the reigning Super Bowl champions Kansas City Chiefs at home. Outshining Patrick Mahomes is going to be easier said than done for Wilson, but if he can show up with a solid performance, his odds of staying in the NFL beyond the 2023 season could get better.

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Trevor Siemian’s response to possibility of replacing Zach Wilson as Jets QB1

September 27, 2023

Trevor Siemian didn’t sign with the New York Jets because he saw an opportunity to replace Zach Wilson as the starting quarterback. Instead, he joined the Jets to help Wilson navigate a difficult situation trying to fill the shoes of Aaron Rodgers, who’s out after season-ending Achilles surgery.

“Whatever I can do to help him,” Siemian said Wednesday, one day after being signed to the Jets practice squad.

The 31-year-old said he had “good conversations” with the Jets and accepted the opportunity this week. The Jets have had two quarterbacks, Wilson and Tim Boyle, since Rodgers went down in Week 1 against the Buffalo Bills.

“I don’t have a lot of expectations,” Siemian said. “No promises were given or anything like that. These guys have two quarterbacks, they needed a third quarterback. … and here I am.”

Trevor Siemian has played for four NFL teams, including Jets in 2019

This is the veteran’s second go-round with the Jets. He started one game in 2019 against the New England Patriots and was knocked out with an injury in the first quarter.

“He’s got a lot of games under his belt,” Jets coach Robert Saleh said Wednesday. “He’s a quick learner, quick study from my understanding. Just getting him the ability to come out of the practice squad and help us out was the best decision for us.”

Siemian won a Super Bowl ring backing up Peyton Manning with the Denver Broncos in 2015. He was Denver’s quarterback the next two seasons and has also played for the New Orleans Saints, Chicago Bears and Jets in six NFL seasons. He was cut by the Bears after training camp this season.

Wilson and the offense have struggled mightily since Rodgers was injured. The 24-year-old has come under fire for his poor play, notably being ripped by Jets icon Joe Namath. Saleh defended Wilson from Namath’s comments Wednesday.

The Jets (1-2) have lost two straight and host the Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) on Sunday night.

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Robert Saleh explains Jets’ Trevor Siemian signing amid calls for Zach Wilson benching

September 27, 2023

Signing veteran quarterback Trevor Siemian was “the best decision” for the New York Jets, according to coach Robert Saleh.

Siemian was signed to the Jets practice squad on Tuesday and practiced with the team on Wednesday. Zach Wilson remains the starting quarterback this week against the Kansas City Chiefs and Tim Boyle will be his backup.

“He’s got a lot of games under his belt,” Saleh said of Siemian. “He’s a quick learner, quick study from my understanding. Just getting him the ability to come out of the practice squad and help us out was the best decision for us.”

Robert Saleh, Jets chose Trevor Siemian over other notable NFL quarterbacks

Reportedly, the Jets rejected overtures from free agent quarterback Carson Wentz and current NFL analyst Matt Ryan, who played for the Indianapolis Colts last season and has not officially retired. Ryan said earlier this week he has no interest in joining the Jets.

Colin Kaepernick, who hasn’t played in the NFL since 2016, sent a letter to Jets general manager Joe Douglas on Tuesday expressing his interest in being signed to their practice squad.

Siemian was cut by the Chicago Bears after extensive playing time this preseason. The 31-year-old won a Super Bowl ring as a rookie backup with the Denver Broncos in 2015 and then was 13-11 as a starter the next two seasons with them. He started one game with the Jets in 2019 but was injured early in the game against the New England Patriots.

Last season he started one game for the Bears and lost at home to the Jets. He has not won a start since 2017. He’s thrown 42 touchdown passes in the NFL, been intercepted 28 times and completed 58.9 percent of his passes.

Saleh said Wednesday that Wilson “needs to play better” for the Jets, who’ve lost two straight amid dismal offensive performances. But the coach also supported Wilson following blistering criticism from Jets icon Joe Namath.

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