No wide receiver in New York Jets history has had the kind of three-year run Garrett Wilson has put forth to start his career.
Wilson is the first receiver in team history to record over 1,000 yards receiving in each year he has been on the team. The fact that he’s been able to put up consistent numbers with seven different quarterbacks throwing him the football shows just how strong he has been as a feature part of New York’s offense.
Despite the organization’s changing arms, a new regime has given Wilson the chance to succeed with one of his former teammates.
Justin Fields Reunites With Garrett Wilson
When former first-round quarterback Justin Fields signed a two-year, $40 million deal with the Jets to kick off free agency, New York opted to pair Wilson with his college quarterback.
Both Fields and Wilson played at Ohio State together in the 2019 and 2020 seasons. While they never ended up winning a National Championship, Fields threw for 1,201 yards and 11 touchdowns with a 133.0 passer rating when targeting Wilson.
Now reunited, Fields made it clear there was only one way to describe how the two are feeling being able to play together again.
“I mean, it’s awesome, of course,” Fields said—per the official NYJ communications transcripts. “We played together in college, and when I saw him, it was really like the old days. I don’t think our relationship skipped a beat.”
The Fields experiment is not a guaranteed long-term fix.
New York is hoping to get as much as possible out of the former Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers signal-caller. Bringing in the veteran, though, could impact what the Jets do with Wilson in the long term.
Entering his fourth season with the team, Wilson is eligible to agree to an extension this offseason. While no deal has yet to be signed, the fact that the Jets were willing to reunite the former NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year with his college quarterback shows that New York is willing to keep Wilson around for the long term.
That fact will only enhance if Wilson and Fields can turn the Jets around.
