The New York Jets will see a familiar face on the opposing sideline when they host the Denver Broncos this Sunday: their former No. 2 overall pick, Zach Wilson.
While addressing the media ahead of Sunday’s contest, quarterback Aaron Rodgers revealed he still has a relationship with Wilson. “I still keep tabs on him and keep in touch with him here and there,” Rodgers said. “I love Zach and always looked at him, you know, like a little brother. I enjoyed our time together on and off the field, and I wish him a lot of success.
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“I was really happy for him the way he finished that preseason. And, you know, I think this would be a good year for him to kind of reset and then hopefully he gets an opportunity down the road.”
Rodgers spent one season with Wilson before the latter was traded to Denver in April.
Rodgers is not the only person within the Jets organization to praise Wilson. Head coach Robert Saleh also praised Wilson, stating, “I still stand here and believe that he’s going to have a hell of a career, and he’s going to get an opportunity and be a very successful quarterback in this league. You know, sometimes they’re just like I said, you get thrown in the fire, and you’re trying to learn, but there’s no patience for learning.
“You know, it’s like you’re expected to run right out of the womb and speak five languages, but it takes time, especially coming from the college game, which is so different now compared to the NFL game in terms of what quarterbacks are asked to do.”
Saleh concluded, “So there’s a development part of it. Some guys hit the ground running, and it’s awesome. And some guys get the teams where that team is just not ready to support a rookie quarterback. But at the same time, they were drafted early for a reason. If they can just hang on and get the right opportunity, you trust that they might, they may figure it out.”
When the Jets aim to secure their third victory of the 2024 season on Sunday, Wilson will likely be watching from the sidelines, as he is the Broncos’ third-string quarterback and has been inactive for each of the team’s first three games. According to FanDuel Sportsbook, the Jets are 7.5-point favorites.
