Zach Wilson the next Joe Burrow? Let's pump the brakes
Zach Wilson, left, received high praise from new Jets tight end C.J. Uzomah, seen inset with former Bengals teammate Joe Burrow. Credit: AP/Adam Hunger; Emilee Chinn/Getty Images
C.J. Uzomah speaks from firsthand experience when he imagines the idea of Zach Wilson turning his second season into a reasonable facsimile of what Joe Burrow did in his NFL sophomore year with the Bengals in 2021.
Uzomah was part of Cincinnati’s unexpected run to Super Bowl LVI, where they narrowly lost to the Rams, so he knows what it takes for a quarterback to make that quantum leap from promising rookie to big-time playoff performer so quickly. The Jets are hoping Uzomah, one of their marquee free-agent signings, can help hasten the process for Wilson.
And there’s not a scintilla of doubt in his mind that Wilson has what it takes. During his media session after Thursday’s practice, Uzomah was asked to weigh in on the possibility of Wilson taking a Burrow-esque leap.
“Not if,” Uzomah said. “He will. He has a hell of an arm.”
The tight end’s exuberance is commendable, and there’s certainly nothing wrong with a player professing loyalty to his quarterback. And it does speak volumes about how Wilson has impressed Uzomah, to the point where he’d be so optimistic in his outlook about the Jets’ second-year quarterback. Remember, too, that Burrow and the Bengals have suddenly given hope to so many other franchises around the league hoping for a quick turnaround with a young quarterback: If the Bengals can do it, then why not us?
But in many ways, the Bengals caught lightning in a bottle last year, and Burrow’s remarkable resurgence after an injury-shortened rookie season is more the exception than the rule. And the fact of the matter is that Burrow is and always was a better prospect than Wilson.
When Burrow came into the league in 2020, he was fresh off LSU’s national championship win over Clemson, following a Heisman Trophy winning performance in the regular season. He paid his dues early on at Ohio State and, after realizing he had a better chance to play at LSU, transferred there after two seasons and produced one of the greatest seasons by a college quarterback. And he did it in the SEC, a conference that features some of the best programs in the country. Talk about being battle tested. Burrow emerged from the gauntlet as a true No. 1 overall prospect.
The historically snakebit Bengals wasted no time bringing in Burrow, who grew up outside Cincinnati, and handing the offense to the swashbuckling quarterback from Day 1. As a rookie, he went just 2-7-1 with 13 touchdown passes and five interceptions before being felled by a knee injury that required reconstructive surgery. But you could see enough in the games he did play that he was something special. And last year, he had a breakout season with 34 touchdown passes and a league-best 70.4 completion percentage.
His performance matched his pedigree, and only a game-wrecking second half by Rams defensive tackle Aaron Donald and a late Rams TD drive prevented the Bengals from winning their first Super Bowl.
Wilson may have similar arm talent as Burrow, and that may be enough to give Uzomah reason to believe there can be a similar resurgence in Year 2. But Wilson remains an unknown quantity, and it’s premature at best to mention him in the same breath as Burrow. Wilson did have a breakout season at BYU in his third and final season, throwing for 33 touchdowns and just three interceptions. And it was enough to convince the Jets that it was time to move on from Sam Darnold and cast their lot with Wilson.
But BYU’s level of competition wasn’t close to Burrow’s LSU team. Fast forward to Wilson’s rookie season, and it was nothing like Burrow’s, who showed flashes of big-time ability before his injury. Wilson struggled to find his way the first part of the season, throwing just four touchdown passes and nine interceptions before a knee injury against the Patriots put him out of the lineup in Week 7.
When he did return after missing four games, he did show improvement. But it was modest; he had five touchdown throws over his last seven games. Five. The more encouraging number was no interceptions in his last five games.
The Jets are counting on the benefit of a full offseason of preparation from Wilson and the addition of several noteworthy offensive players, including Uzomah, first-round receiver Garrett Wilson and second-round running back Breece Hall, to speed his progress.
But let’s not pretend that the 2022 Jets can be anything close to the 2021 Bengals. Or that Wilson will be this year’s Burrow.
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.”
