Zach Wilson Trade Value: Can Jets Swap Quarterback for High Draft Pick?
Much can be said about the uncertainty that comes with the NFL offseason and the games that will follow it, but it’s hard not to feel like New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson has played his final snap with the organization that drafted him second overall.
From league-worst quarterback play to coaching staff drama and the downstream effects of a wasted season, general manager Joe Douglas will find a new backup quarterback. Not investing in a capable No. 2 spoiled the Jets season in 2023 and will threaten their Super Bowl window until checked off the offseason’s list of priorities.
As such, the Wilson era is all but over in New York, and it is on Douglas to either trade or cut the 2021 first-round pick. Is there a market for the young quarterback?
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Reclamation projects aren’t a new phenomenon, and the league has rarely shied away from starting retreads under center. Current San Francisco 49ers quarterback Sam Darnold got a shot with the Carolina Panthers. Chicago Bears quarterback Justin Fields seems destined to as well.
However, Wilson’s market is far from guaranteed to be close to what Darnold returned for the Jets – picks in the second, fourth, and sixth rounds. Both Darnold and Fields (were/will be) traded with hopes to start immediately with their new team, or at least provide competition.
Wilson’s struggles – the worst expected points added per play and success rate among qualified starters both this season and since his debut – render him a backup quarterback at best. Until some coach works their magic on Wilson, no team will be comfortable putting him under center in a game that impacts the standings.
As ESPN's Rich Cimini reported, some are completely out on Wilson.
“I’d give up a two-week stay at a Best Western,” one assistant coach said. “I’m not a fan.”
Cimini also reported that a late-round pick with strings attached may be the most realistic option.
“Another personnel executive suggested the Jets seek a 2025 conditional pick, based on playing time – i.e. a fourth-rounder if Wilson plays 50 percent of the offensive snaps,” Cimini wrote. “This protects them if he gets on the field and produces next season.”
New York is in a lose-lose situation, given that no team is paying for the potential Douglas saw in him, and any legitimate production leaves egg on the face of front-office personnel and coaches alike.
The Jets’ assortment of resources for this upcoming NFL Draft is limited by the Aaron Rodgers trade, and they won’t be helped in a significant manner by trading Wilson. Whether it be trading the passer and a pick to move up a few spots, a conditional selection, or some other rendition of a Day 3 pick, Wilson’s value was only hurt by his play this year.
New York only has itself to thank.
