After Aaron Rodgers went down, the Jets’ 2023 season was doomed. They never planned for backup Zach Wilson to have to start 10+ games for New York. He had proven time and time again that the spotlight was too big for him. Yet, the Jets had no other real options to go with. Wilson was benched during the season and then was brought back in as a starter. 

There was no consistency with Wilson and his time with the Jets has been disastrous. That is why the 24-year-old has been permitted to seek a trade this offseason. New York is ready to move on from Wilson and the former 2nd overall pick likely feels the same way. However, the Jets are on the books for $5,4 million fully guaranteed to Wilson in 2024. They’ll almost certainly have to pay most of, if not all of that to Wilson.

Will the Jets ever be able to find a trade partner for Zach Wilson

Breaking: The Jets have given Zach Wilson’s agent permission to seek a trade, GM Joe Douglas announced. pic.twitter.com/vDFC0maxBG

— ESPN (@espn) February 28, 2024

At the NFL Combine this week, Jets’ GM Joe Douglas made it clear that the Jets are in the market for a veteran backup QB. New York has all intentions of Aaron Rogers starting all 17 games next season. If he does miss time, they want a competent backup who can be plugged in and keep the team moving forward. That is something Zach Wilson was not able to do for the Jets in 2023 when Rodgers went down in the first quarter of Week 1.

Reports around the league say that the best New York could get in a potential trade is a late-round draft pick. Possibly a conditional pick based on Wilson’s playing time over the last three seasons. Far less than the second overall pick the Jets used on Wilson in 2021. The fact they owe him a fully guaranteed $5.4 million in 2024 is a mistake the Jets certainly regret.

Zach Wilson trying to find a team to trade for him pic.twitter.com/u71T1fD41E

— #RingerNFL (@ringernfl) February 28, 2024

From what he has already shown in his time as an NFL QB, it’s hard to see teams reaching out to the Jets about Zach Wilson. There’s no chance anyone will call to try and trade for him as a starter. At best the Jets would be lucky if a team was willing to take Wilson as a backup. That might even be too farfetched. For now. Wilson is still with New York until they find a trade partner or end up releasing the former first-round pick. It’s been a tough start to Wilson’s career and he’s looking for a fresh start somewhere else.