Wilson! Zach, Garrett connection ready for takeoff Sunday
Garrett Wilson of the Jets runs a first-half reception against the Bengals at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — The team is owned by a Johnson and Johnson heir, but the talk among Jets fans entering this season was about Wilson and Wilson.
Now, at last, they will get a peek at what that looks like in a regular-season game, and what it could look like for years to come.
With second-year quarterback Zach Wilson set to make his 2022 debut against the Steelers on Sunday, one of his first priorities figures to be getting the ball to rookie receiver Garrett Wilson.
In a perfect Jets world, the two top-10 draft picks will forge a bond that helps both of their careers.
“He’s a freak athlete,” Zach said of Garrett, who leads Jets' receivers in receptions (18), targets (32), yards (214) and touchdowns (two). “That’s what makes him special.
“I think that’s not just him. We’ve got a lot of guys that are like that. He’s a freak, he’s hard to stay in front of, he’s hard to throw the ball to sometimes because he’s faking me out.”
Zach said now it will be a matter of developing chemistry under game conditions. He and Garrett have been getting in extra work after practice.
Garrett is gearing up for a far more mobile thrower than the Jets had in Joe Flacco.
“You run your route from the snap all the way to the end of the play; there’s no giving up,” he said. “You want to be alive. You want to be open. At the end of the day, we know Zach will make that play if you are.”
Garrett recalled watching several late-night BYU games Zach played in while he was on his way home from his own Ohio State games.
“The main thing I remember noticing is just the arm talent, how he could put it anywhere, how he would take chances, take shots and trust in his receivers,” Garrett said.
Asked before practice on Friday whether he is eager to see the two Wilsons in action, coach Robert Saleh said, “Yeah, I think just for the entire offense it’s got potential to be special.
“There are seven first- and second-year players taking reps, playing at any one time. So, seven of the 11 players on the field at one time are first- and second- year players, and so they’re growing together.
“Just the opportunity for them to grow together and click together has the potential to be pretty fun to watch.”
Saleh defends Williams, Ulbrich
Quinnen Williams declined to speak to reporters after practice, but Saleh defended both him and defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich in the wake of a comment Ulbrich made on Thursday while discussing the front four rotation.
He said Williams sometimes can be seen “gasping for air” on the sideline if overused.
“Quinnen is in the best shape of his life,” Saleh said. “A quote, in my opinion, was taken and used against Jeff when we all know where Jeff’s heart is. He spent 15 minutes prior to that question showering ‘Q’ with praise.
“We have our rotations, we do things the way we do them. Quinnen is in phenomenal shape. It’s kind of bush league to take a one-liner [and play it up], but it is what it is. We all know where Jeff’s heart is, so no harm, no foul.”
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
