Zach Wilson wants more snaps in Jets' final dress rehearsal

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Yes, Zach Wilson has a problem with his playing time in the preseason. At a time when many quarterbacks shun the idea of seeing action in games and coaches are consumed by fear of getting their passers injured, Wilson is a bit of a throwback.

He wants to play MORE.

"I wish I could play the whole game," the Jets’ No. 2 overall pick said Wednesday after a second day of joint practices with the Eagles.

That will never happen, of course. Nor should it. Wilson is simply too valuable to the Jets to go the entire way in games that don’t matter in the standings. Yet it’s a testament to how badly Wilson wants to excel at his craft and make the adjustment at the NFL level that he’d feel no hesitation about playing longer than coach Robert Saleh will allow.

"You don’t want to get injured before the season or put yourself in a bad spot," Wilson said. "I’m not worried about that, but you know how it is with injuries. I wish I could play more, just because the experience of learning the tempo of the game, the operation, it’s just so good for us to see and feel. You just get more comfortable as you’re playing."

No one can predict how Wilson’s career will unfold, whether it will be wildly successful or whether he’ll become the latest in a long of disappointments to wear a Jets uniform. But you couldn’t ask for a better first run-up to his impending NFL debut on Sept. 12, when he faces Sam Darnold, the man he replaced under center.

Wilson has learned the offense quickly. He has already shown the leadership qualities the Jets envisioned after scouting him at BYU, and he has looked comfortable in his first two preseason game appearances. After going 6-of-9 for 63 yards against the Giants at MetLife Stadium, he was 9-of-11 for 128 yards and two touchdown passes against the Packers at Lambeau Field.

Saleh said discussions are continuing about Wilson’s availability for Friday night’s preseason finale against the Eagles at MetLife Stadium, but it sounds like the coach is going to let his rookie quarterback play some, or even all, the first half.

We are still more than two weeks away from Wilson’s regular season debut, but Saleh believes it has been a uniquely beneficial preseason for his young quarterback. And part of that traces to the fact that the Jets had not only played different opponents, but have practiced against them as well. Last week, it was the Packers; this week, it’s the Eagles.

"From a quarterback standpoint, I feel like he’s had a very productive camp," Saleh said. "You look at our defense, the Giants’ defense, Green Bay’s defense. The Giants have a little bit of the (Bill) Belichick stuff. Green Bay with the (Vic) Fangio philosophy, the Eagles with the Colts stuff. That’s four of the major defenses in football. For (Wilson) to see that, that has been very productive in terms of his development. To get the amount of work we’ve gotten, I think that’s priceless."

And it could go a long way toward hastening Wilson’s development.

"It’s defensive looks and disguises, and players and coaching techniques, all those different things," Wilson said. "It’s good for me just to see all the different looks, preparing for what Green Bay was throwing at us. Even from a defensive line standpoint, these (Eagles players) are taught to get off the ball and get after the quarterback."

The gradual ramp-up toward the regular season has been terrific, as far as Wilson is concerned.

"It’s huge," he said. "For a quarterback, you’re able to ease into it. It’s slowly preparing for what it’s going to be like in a game, and I think that’s why it’s so beneficial. It shakes off all those nerves. You don’t feel nervous going out there and playing."

Wilson certainly hasn’t seemed nervous, even if the task ahead is a daunting one. The kid seems cool, but you know there will be challenges – and failures – ahead. He understands it, and he accepts it.

Now if he can persevere long enough and overcome the hurdles, Wilson can perhaps ease the misery of long-suffering Jets fans.

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.”