Jets QB Zach Wilson throws caution to wind -- in practice

FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – Zach Wilson is in experimental mode.

The Jets’ rookie quarterback is trying things in practice to see what he can and can’t do against NFL defenses. He’s learning quickly that some things worked in college won’t work in the NFL.

"One of my goals was just how can I adapt to this NFL game as quickly as I can?" Wilson said. "I can’t be afraid to make mistakes, especially in practice. This isn’t a game. This is where I’m learning what I can get away with and what I can’t."

Wilson’s first pass attempt in Wednesday’s practice was nearly intercepted by C.J Mosley. The veteran linebacker was dropping back in coverage, and Wilson tried to zip it past Mosley to Elijah Moore. Mosley reacted quickly and just missed picking it off.

Robert Saleh likes that Wilson is testing what he can do, and learning from it. He said Wilson went over to the coaches and said next time he’s going to the check down.

"He knows," Saleh said. "He goes, ‘I saw the check down.’ So, he knows. He’s in such a great place and he loves competing."

Wilson is trying to learn everything he can His up-and-down practices have been well documented, but the No. 2 pick out of BYU settled down after that first pass. He completed five of his next eight with two touchdown passes to Corey Davis.

The Jets and Wilson aren’t concerned right now about how many touchdowns or interceptions he’s throwing in practice. He said he’s hard on himself, but not to the point where he gets "frustrated, upset and emotional." He’s focused on learning, progressing and fixing his mistakes.

"Maybe in a real game I probably wouldn’t throw that," Wilson said, "but it’s a time where I’m like, ‘Well, let me try right here and see what I can get away with.’ C.J. got his hand on it, he made the play and so it’s like next time in that situation and that same look, I’m going to check down. That’s what we practice for is to play situations out like that."

Fight free

Saleh is happy that through his first 12 practices as an NFL head coach, there really haven’t been any fights. He said it’s because "this team really cares about one another."

"When you see fights," Saleh said, "it’s when players are being cheap and doing extra and really trying to hurt another person’s career. Playing your tail off and playing with effort and technique and a little bit of physicality is not cheap, that’s just part of football. I think these guys respect one another."