Zach Wilson's misery has company among NFL rookie QBs

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — If there’s any consolation for Zach Wilson as he grinds through a torturous start to his NFL career, it is this: At least he has company.

Wilson has just two touchdown passes and seven interceptions in the Jets’ 0-3 start, a statistical reminder that it will indeed take time for him to adjust to the NFL game before he can turn his game — and the Jets — around.

But Wilson is one of several first-year quarterbacks struggling to make the transition from college star to rookie starter. The former BYU standout was drafted second overall, and already has an NFL-high seven interceptions. That’s tied with the first overall pick, Clemson’s Trevor Lawrence, who is off to an 0-3 getaway in Jacksonville after being labeled a can’t-miss prospect.

Mac Jones is 1-2 with the Patriots, and the former Alabama starter comes off a three-interception meltdown in a 28-13 home loss to the Saints. Up next: Former Patriots star Tom Brady, who won six Super Bowl titles in New England and another in his first season with the Buccaneers.

Justin Fields felt confident during his preseason apprenticeship with the Bears, unconcerned about adjusting to the speed of the NFL game. "It was actually kind of slow to me," he said after his first exhibition game. Well, things didn’t go quite as well in his first regular-season start; in Sunday’s 26-6 loss to the Browns, he was just 6-for-20 for 68 yards and no touchdowns, and was sacked nine times.

At least this year’s other first-round quarterback, Trey Lance, hasn’t had any noticeable struggles just yet. Why? Because he’s not the starter. Jimmy Garoppolo retains the No. 1 role until 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan says otherwise.

Cause for concern? Not at all, according to Jets coach Robert Saleh.

"What’s happening to the rookies, in my opinion, is normal," he said Wednesday. "What happens otherwise is abnormal."

Compared to previous NFL generations, when young quarterbacks often sat for several seasons before being called on to start, we are now on warp speed as far as getting them into the lineup. Especially rookies. With rules benefiting offenses more and more, and with quarterbacks coming into the league much more prepared because of the explosion of passing in the college game, there is an increased emphasis on going with the kids much more quickly. Throw in the fact that it’s beneficial to have your quarterback blossoming while still being on his rookie contract, and the rush to play is even greater.

But as we’ve seen with this year’s class, getting them onto the field doesn’t always translate to getting wins. At least not from the start.

"Most rookies struggle in their first couple of years," Saleh said. "You go through the history of all the great ones. I see [Matthew] Stafford having a banner year [with the Rams]. He’s had a great career in Detroit."

But it didn’t start out so well for the former No. 1 pick out of Georgia in 2009.

"The first two games of his NFL career, he had one touchdown, five interceptions, and he didn’t have a very good first season," Saleh said. True statement: Stafford had 13 touchdown passes and 20 interceptions and went 2-8 as a rookie.

Saleh offered some interesting perspective on why the transition can be so daunting, and why Wilson is now struggling to adapt to the pro game after a brilliant 2020 season at BYU in which he had 33 touchdown passes and just three interceptions.

"When these rookies get to the NFL, there are a couple of things that change," Saleh said. "For example, in college, the ball travels faster than the man, so [the quarterbacks] can make all these throws that are acrobatic, because it’s just not as fast. In the NFL, the man travels faster than the ball. So, even though those windows might be open, those guys are moving at a much faster clip. What’s deemed open vs. covered in college compared to the NFL completely changes. There’s an adjustment that all these guys have to go through."

Then again, there are exceptions. Last year, for instance, Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert took over as the starter in Week 2 after Tyrod Taylor was injured. Herbert had a terrific rookie season, throwing for 4,336 yards, 31 touchdowns and just 10 interceptions.

Is Herbert the outlier? Saleh believes that is the case.

"What you’re seeing out of this [year’s] group [of quarterbacks]," he said, "is more the norm than the Herberts of the world."

That doesn’t make it any less painful to watch. In fact, Herbert’s unexpected early success has nevertheless raised the bar for this year’s rookie class. But Saleh believes Wilson will eventually snap out of his early-season problems.

"He has been improving, even though people haven’t seen the improvement," Saleh said. "Now he’s just gotta go show the world. Eventually, it’s going to pop."

Key word: Eventually.

By Bob Glauber

Special to NewsdayBobGlauber

Bob Glauber retired in 2022 after covering the NFL for nearly 40 years. He was selected in 2021 for the Bill Nunn Career Achievement Award by the Pro Football Writers of America, and is a three-time winner of the New York State Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. President of the PFWA for the 2018-20 seasons, he is the author of “The Forgotten First” and “Guts and Genius.”