The New York Jets are looking to trade Zach Wilson
One order of business currently in limbo for the New York Jets is the never-ending Zach Wilson saga. After owner Woody Johnson insisted that the Jets will keep Wilson if they can’t trade him, the former No. 2 overall pick’s future seems up in the air.
ESPN’s Adam Schefter shed some light on the situation. Joining The Michael Kay Show, he provided an assessment of Wilson’s trade market.
“I think in the end they’ll trade him,” Schefter said. “I think it might take some time for a lot of reasons.”
Schefter pointed out that Wilson’s value is pretty much set in stone at a seventh-round pick after Mac Jones and Justin Fields went for sixth-rounders. The biggest issue is Wilson’s 2023 salary, which is close to $5.5 million. Neither the Jets nor any trading team would want to pay that money, and other teams think the Jets will release Wilson rather than pay him.
Therefore, Schefter thinks an inflection point will come at the draft, if not before. He believes the Jets will find a trade partner and come to an agreement about dividing up the money.
While there is nothing new here materially, it’s worth noting that Schefter believes the Jets will find a way to trade Wilson. He’s as plugged in around the NFL as anyone. Even though every team in the league now has at least a backup quarterback, a seventh-round pick is a low bar for any player to be traded. The Jets just hope they can get some cap relief in the process, though it is unlikely to be close to the full $5.5 million.
Ultimately, when Wilson moves on, it will be one more distraction eliminated from the Jets’ side. Schefter seems to think that it will happen sooner rather than later.
