Zach Wilson says he won't be afraid to take chances

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Zach Wilson likes to take risks. Without them, there may be no rewards.

The Jets rookie quarterback knows he has to choose his spots to take chances, especially against NFL defenses. But he wants the big play that can change or win a game, and he will live with the result.

"Turning the ball over is never a good thing," Wilson said after Wednesday’s joint practice with the Eagles. "But if you have zero turnovers and you also have zero explosive plays, you’re not winning games, either.

"You got to have that balance as a quarterback of when it’s OK to push the ball down the field and understanding, ‘This is third-and-long and they’re not giving us anything, just throw the checkdown and live to play the next down and let’s play the field position.’"

The Jets coaches have trust that Wilson will find that balance.

They like his study habits and decision making, plus Wilson has the arm strength and mobility to make plays off schedule. It’s not something he’s done much during training camp because so much of practice is scripted. So that’s another part of Wilson’s game that will be on display beginning Week 1 in Carolina.

"They understand it’s a process and they understand that I’m not making the same mistakes twice," Wilson said. "If I am, then it’s something I need to definitely make sure I figure out. We go in the film room every day and every single day it’s a new learning point.

"They have that trust in me that I’m going to have to be careful with the ball, but they understand that I’m going to take risks and make some plays and I’ll go off schedule in those real game situations and we’ll be able to do some things."

The Jets close out their three-game preseason schedule on Friday against the Eagles. Coach Robert Saleh said he would like Wilson to play "no more than a half" but that was still being discussed.

What’s not up for discussion is who is the Jets’ Week 1 starting quarterback. Saleh hasn’t officially named Wilson the starter. But he was QB1 the moment the Jets drafted him No. 2 overall, a few weeks after trading Sam Darnold to the Panthers.

The Jets had Wilson, Mike White and James Morgan heading into camp. They added veteran quarterback Josh Johnson a week into it. It was Wilson’s job all along. But he still goes into each day as if he has to prove himself.

"It helped as far as I can learn, and I can just keep growing and getting better," Wilson said. "But I would say to an extent, I can’t have the mindset of, ‘I’m the guy so I can be complacent.’ I have to have that mindset that I have to keep competing and I got to earn my job, no matter who is there.

"The coaches, they want to win. I get they drafted me in the top five and that’s what they took me for, but if I’m not playing well, then they’re not going to say I’m the starter."

Wilson has shown improvements since the start of training camp, and he has played well in the preseason.

He’s 15-for-20 for 191 yards and two touchdowns passes with no interceptions. Wilson has led the Jets’ first-team offense on four scoring drives in six series.

Wilson has earned the starting job. But he won’t change his approach.

"I just think competition brings the best out in everybody," he said. "I think you can kind of flip that switch and be able to say, ‘I’m going to give everything I can to make sure I do this right.’ If you got no one breathing down your neck that you got your job on the line, then it gets tough, right? A lot of guys are willing to feel OK with, "You know it’s my job, I can make mistakes," and you feel all right.’

"You got to understand that if you don’t do well, they’re going to replace you."