Jets quarterback Zach Wilson returns to practice field with no limitations

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — Zach Wilson was back on the field Wednesday, feeling no limitations in his right knee as he led the Jets’ first-team offense for the first time in a month.

Wilson sprained his PCL in a loss in New England on Oct. 24. He was cleared to return this week and is excited to resume his rookie season Sunday in Houston.

"I feel 100 percent confident in my ability to go out there and play football how I need to play football," Wilson said after practice. "That was kind of what I told the coaches. I feel like I can go out there and play my game and not worry about it. I feel like that doesn’t have to be a focus going forward. I feel like I can just play ball."

This is encouraging news for the Jets, who are 2-8 and well on their way to their 11th straight year of missing the playoffs. But Wilson’s development was always the most important aspect of this season.

The Jets believe Wilson will be the quarterback that ends their long playoff and even longer Super Bowl drought. But he’s a long way from being a finished product.

Wilson, the No. 2 overall pick, has struggled in his first time around the NFL. In his six start, Wilson has thrown just four touchdowns to go along with nine interceptions. But the Jets maintain that Wilson may be better from spending the last four weeks watching Mike White, Josh Johnson and Joe Flacco run the offense.

"I think it’s very beneficial," Robert Saleh said. "I think there’s always tremendous value in that."

The ball moved down the field and got in the end zone the last four games far better than it did with Wilson as quarterback. Flacco, Johnson and White are older and have been around much longer than Wilson. They’ve seen a lot of football and learned to take what the defense gives you rather than always try to make the big play.

Wilson said that’s one of the things he learned while watching them and that he plans to play more like that this season.

"I thought one thing that was cool was watching those guys play, especially Mike in that Cincinnati game was how quickly he gets the ball to some of our playmakers, especially in the backfield," Wilson said. "Those guys do a great job picking up extra yards. The ability to get through your progressions and not feeling like you have to force something. What’s the highest percentage completion you can find on the field? That needs to be the mindset going forward."

Wilson said he doesn’t believe there will be much rust since he did participate in practice the past two weeks. He spent that time as the scout team quarterback, which allowed him to make a lot of throws and play more freely.

Coming back, Wilson said his goals are: "Play fast. Play with my natural feel that I was given. Play within the structure of the offense and let my playmakers make plays."

Saleh said he thought Wilson was getting better before he got hurt. He felt the offense was starting faster than earlier in the season, which is attributable to both Wilson and first-time offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur getting more comfortable. Saleh hopes Wilson can start where he left off and continue to get better.

"The good thing is the surrounding talent around him has gotten a lot better over the last four weeks," Saleh said. "To slip right in and understand that the players around him elevated, hopefully he can take advantage."

The Jets’ quarterback room is emptier this week since White tested positive for COVID and the unvaccinated Flacco was deemed a close contact. Both were placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Wilson is vaccinated and said he wasn’t concerned about that he would get the coronavirus and be knocked out for this game.

"No, I feel like we were taking the precautions and stuff to go through it," he said. "I hope that doesn’t happen, obviously. You never know. But I feel good so I wasn’t worried about it all."