Jets' late-season wake-up might turn out to be a blessing in disguise
Jets quarterback Zach Wilson is on the field before an NFL preseason game against the Eagles at MetLife Stadium on Friday. Credit: Corey Sipkin
At the time, it seemed like the worst possible development for a team used to searing disappointment.
The Jets were in the midst of another calamitous season, suffering one loss after another, and by the time they faced the Rams last Dec. 20, they were 0-13 and fans were openly rooting for the losing to continue. As painful as the performances were, there was at least the hope of landing the prized quarterback in the 2021 draft.
But the Jets summoned their best performance of the season in Los Angeles that afternoon, with Sam Darnold leading them to a 23-20 win. Was Trevor Lawrence slipping through their hands, adding even more misery to a miserable season?
A week later, there was a 23-16 win over the Browns, meaning that it was all but assured that the Jets would be knocked out of the first overall draft spot. No more chance at Clemson’s star quarterback. No more shot at landing the biggest prize of all.
Or so it seemed . . .
Even though Zach Wilson was a blip on the draft-day radar at the time the Jets played their way out of the first pick, the Rams might have done the Jets a favor by putting forth one of their weakest efforts of the season.
The Jaguars wound up with the top choice, and new coach Urban Meyer immediately targeted Lawrence as the player he’d build his team around.
Jets fans knew little about Wilson when the regular season ended. But by the end of the draft evaluation period, general manager Joe Douglas had been smitten by the BYU quarterback, who had a monster year in 2020 with 33 touchdown passes and three interceptions.
That may not have resonated with Jets fans who have seen their draft-day hopes dashed plenty of times, but Douglas was convinced he’d found his guy. He traded Darnold to the Panthers to clear the decks for Wilson, and the baby-faced 22-year-old quarterback walked onto the stage on draft night in Cleveland after hearing his name called by commissioner Roger Goodell.
It’s far too early to determine whether Lawrence or Wilson will be the better quarterback, and it might not be possible to make a fair comparison for another few years. What we can say is that it’s Wilson who is off to the more promising start.
The Jaguars are in complete rebuild mode, with the team trying to fill needs just about everywhere. Of particular concern for Lawrence is the fact that the offensive line is not close to being ready to protect him on a consistent basis. That much became clear in the Jaguars’ preseason game against the Saints on Monday night, when Lawrence was under constant pressure.
The Jets, meanwhile, are in much better shape up front. Left tackle Mekhi Becton, who has indicated he will be ready to start the season despite being in the concussion protocol, looks as if he’ll be one of the best pass protectors in the league. Douglas added first-round guard Alijah Vera-Tucker to the mix. And Morgan Moses, the longtime starter in Washington, is set to play right tackle.
The Jets bolstered their receiving corps with the addition of rookie Elijah Moore, who has been terrific in the preseason, and free agent Corey Davis, a former first-round pick with Tennessee who has quickly become Wilson’s favorite target in the preseason.
Wilson will work under first-year offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, the younger brother of Packers head coach Matt LaFleur and a former assistant under West Coast offense whiz Sean McVay of the Rams. LaFleur may be inexperienced, but he’s a bright young mind who figures to grow into the job along with his new quarterback.
Lawrence has a more experienced offensive coordinator, but the well-traveled Brian Schottenheimer also has his detractors. He didn’t last long under Pete Carroll, and fans will remember some questionable play calls during his time with the Jets.
Wilson looked sharp in preseason action against the Giants and Packers, throwing a pair of touchdown passes against Green Bay and no interceptions against either team. He didn’t play Friday night against the Eagles, with coach Robert Saleh saying after the game that he felt he’d seen enough from his quarterback to feel comfortable heading into the season. Veteran Josh Johnson got the start.
But Wilson has seen a variety of defenses in game action and joint practices against the Packers and Eagles. And with a high football IQ, he looks as ready as he can be heading into the regular season against Darnold’s Panthers.
The Jets may have lost out on the chance to get Lawrence, something that once seemed highly disappointing, but in the end, they hope those two late-season wins were the best thing that could have happened to them.
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.”
