NY Jets have Zach Wilson trade offers but want more (Report)

The New York Jets may have options in trading Zach Wilson

Maybe Zach Wilson isn’t as useless to the New York Jets as originally thought.

Per Pro Football Talk, the Jets “have gotten trade offers for QB Zach Wilson, but they’re waiting for more.”

The most interesting and controversial point was the reason for the Jets’ hesitation.

The Jets have gotten trade offers for QB Zach Wilson, but they're waiting for more. Some think owner Woody Johnson is squatting on the No. 2 overall pick from the 2021 draft. https://t.co/LL7gGP8KOP

— ProFootballTalk (@ProFootballTalk) March 25, 2024

It would be highly surprising if Johnson is preventing a trade of Wilson. He nullified any trade value Wilson might have had by openly stating that the Jets didn’t have a backup quarterback in 2023. That indicates he understands Wilson’s lack of value.

It seems more likely that the Jets have received offers conditioned upon the Jets picking up some of Wilson’s $5.5 million salary for 2024. They likely want to dump all of his salary, but, as ESPN’s Rich Cimini recently reported, that has negated any value Wilson might have.

It is worth noting that Wilson has offset language in his contract that would subtract any future contract he signed from the amount the Jets owe him. In other words, if the Jets cut Wilson and another team signs him to a deal, that would lessen the $5.5 million salary they would owe him. (The other $5.7 million of his cap hit is dead money regardless, as Wilson already received the money as a signing bonus.)

Still, perhaps the Pro Football Talk report means that the Jets can get something for Wilson rather than cutting him outright. Ultimately, what Wilson has put on film over the past three seasons has left them with limited options. Their best option is to simply take what they can get and move on.