Zach Wilson and Trey Lance were selected with back-to-back picks at the top of the 2021 NFL Draft. But just over two years later, neither is the starting quarterback for his team, and both are in danger of being traded this coming year.
NFL: Lance, Wilson Could Be Traded This Coming Season
“I could see somebody rolling the dice”
—@ColinCowherd says why Zach Wilson and Trey Lance still have a market pic.twitter.com/Lhk0EHvEnX
— The Volume (@TheVolumeSports) August 5, 2023
The top pick that year was made by the Jacksonville Jaguars, who took unanimous #1 prospect Trevor Lawrence. But the New York Jets felt comfortable with their pick when they selected Wilson out of BYU at #2. It was the highest draft pick made by the Jets since 1996, and the highest that they had drafted a quarterback since they took Joe Namath in 1965.
Things never got off of the ground for Wilson in his rookie season or thereafter. He went 3-10 as a starter during his rookie season, throwing 9 touchdowns to 11 interceptions and finishing with the worst quarterback rating in the league. It was certainly a disappointing first campaign, but there was still hope that Zach Wilson could find a way to turn things around.
He couldn’t. Wilson started the 2022 NFL season on the injured list, and played poorly when he was able to stay on the field. He was eventually benched mid-season, before returning due to injuries sustained by the team’s other QBs.
The team made a decision in the off-season that shook the landscape of the league. The Jets were able to acquire Aaron Rodgers in order to be their new leader, which has pushed Wilson back to the second string.
Purdy Looks To be First Option For San Francisco
Trey Lance is special
pic.twitter.com/Xz60PaL1lW
— Nesto ☔️ (@1mde4) August 1, 2023
There is a similar situation going on in San Francisco, but Trey Lance is playing behind a 7th round draft pick instead of one of the greatest quarterbacks of all-time.
Lance hasn’t been given a fair opportunity. His live, regular season reps have been extremely limited due to the injuries that have kept him off of the field. In 4 career starts, he is 2-2 with a completion percentage under 55.
It was Brock Purdy who became the sensation last season with his QB play for the 49ers, and it looks as though he’ll have the upper hand during training camp, as long as he is fully recovered from elbow surgery. If Purdy is able to show that his solid play last year was not a fluke, then Lance could be on the move, at least according to Colin Cowherd, who had the following to say about the Lance and Wilson situations:
I think they’ve both in the salvage stage, the show off stage. If I was the 9ers, I would play Trey Lance a ton in the preseason. If I was the Jets, I would play Zach Wilson every available snap…somebody is probably going to, by the trade deadline, a 3-3 team loses the starter. I could see somebody rolling the dice
Lance still has a shot at the starting job. It has been thought and rumored that Purdy had the obvious upper hand, but there are likely those within the 49ers organization that want to see what they can get out of Trey Lance.