Postseason First Year Opinions/Evaluations of Zach Wilson, Jets QB

[Warfish]

Questions above.

For reference:

Zach Wilson 2021:

13 Games, 3-10 Record as Starter

213-383 (55.6%), 2,334 passing yards, 9 TD, 11 INT, 6.1 YPA, 69.7 Rating, Sacked 44 for -370 Yards, 

29 carries for 185 Yards and 4 rushing TD's.  5 Fumbles, 1 Lost Fumble.

NFL's 31st rated QB.

[peebag]

I wasn't keen on the pick but at times he's looked "ok".

I'm just not sure that this is the team that could develop him to his potential.

[slimjasi]

He had a very rough start, but improved in the second half of the season.
 

He has plenty of talent, but needs to clean up some things and put it all together. The odds are against anyone working out here, but I’m looking forward to seeing if he can take the next step in year 2. 

[heymangold]

Listen, for a #2 pick, his production was awful. I was expecting a ton more from him.

That being said, the roster let him down. The last few weeks, when he was getting better, he was down what was said to be his #1,2,3 and 4 receivers.  No tight ends.  Horrible o-line. An old man at running back.  He played very well in December which in encouraging.

hopefully they find a way to get him a true #1 receiver. Look at how it helped josh allen as they were tossing the ball to Diggs without fail yesterday.

[ScouserJet]

I have a very Darnold-esque feel after the first season.

Hes shown some really good signs that he can become good, and some signs he could also be total trash.

I feel Wilsons game is superior to Darnolds, and feel he’s more likely to succeed, but I feel he can probably flourish as long as La Fleur can keep the Offense looking sharp and creative.

You don’t need me to state the obvious in that next year is MASSIVE for Wilson, and I feel cautiously optimistic.

I feel he just gradually improved over the course of the year and with that added experience he should get closer to what we’re wanting.

 

[Coffee Is Great]

I don't feel good about him going forward. He is way behind on processing things. The speed of the game, the schemes and concepts he faces. It does not click for him. The all-22 of him this year isn't that different from Darnold: both routinely don't see open guys and often don't make the correct decision. Both are fooled by the defense with regularity. 

That said, I'm not giving up on him. He has a world of talent--far more than Darnold or Geno or Sanchez--and seems like a brighter kid than those three too. We need to see a massive step forward next year though. 3,000+ yards, 20-25 TDs.

 

[nj meadowlands]

10 minutes ago, Coffee Is Great said:

I don't feel good about him going forward. He is way behind on processing things. The speed of the game, the schemes and concepts he faces. It does not click for him. The all-22 of him this year isn't that different from Darnold: both routinely don't see open guys and often don't make the correct decision. Both are fooled by the defense with regularity. 

That said, I'm not giving up on him. He has a world of talent--far more than Darnold or Geno or Sanchez--and seems like a brighter kid than those three too. We need to see a massive step forward next year though. 3,000+ yards, 20-25 TDs.

 

 

I don't think the tape from the past month and a half bears this out at all.

[Hex]

I was a pro-Zach guy and I still am. I was very worried in the first few games as he was being careless, trying to play like he did in college against easy opponents. After his injury, he had a sub-par game against the Texans and after than has played fairly well. Since his returning from his injury he has thrown 2 picks, has thrown the easy passes progressively better and better, and has looked like a much more experienced QB for most of the games.

His lack of TD production is alarming, but I feel like that is due to the losses of his top receivers. I also heard that Zach ties the league high in most passes stopped at the 1 yard line. but the fact that some QBs are throwing 40 TDs and Zach has thrown 9 doesn't look good on paper.

If the draft was done over again, I would definitely pick Zach again if I were GM. I have seen nothing from any QB other than Mac Jones to prove that there were better options, but I also think Jones is a good system QB, and that he wouldn't succeed as much as he has on a team like the Jets.

I didn't expect him to do great, and on paper he has done way worse than I would have thought. But on the field his progression is obvious, the players around him like him, and he has outplayed most of the other rookie QBs. He is clearly better than his 31st ranking.

I expect to see eyeball progression as well as stats progression next year. This year I was mostly fine with his lack of production due to his obvious progress and his lack of talent around him for much of the season. Next year he has no such excuse. Even with bad talent he should show that he can elevate the players around him. I am expecting more production from him. I expect him to be a top 15 QB on paper.

[Rangers9]

I've always favored a Qb competition esp when you have a rookie Qb. In the past starting a rookie without any accountability just giving them the job hasn't worked. Let a player earn a job. I heard Zach and other rookie Qb starters say the same old thing how everything was a learning process for them instead of trying to win games. The regular season isn't the exhibition season or a training ground for a new Qb. Zach didn't win the job he was given the job. I think a mistake and I hope this coming off season it's not the case. Bring someone in to compete with him I don't want to go two or three years of losing to find out a Qb isn't that good. I think Zach will be OK if not better than OK probably pretty good. But yesterday he wasn't good.

[TuscanyTile2]

I feel slightly optimistic about Zach going into next season because I do think he played better the final few games.  He didn't throw INTs and seemed to be more confident overall.  But I think the jury is still (very much) out.  But I'd give him the job next season and see if he can show progress.

I don't think we need to invest a lot in a veteran QB as a backup.  If ZW fails, we're probably screwed anyway.  (unless My Quite is the backup, in which case we might be a playoff team  )

[RedBeardedSavage]

I don't feel like I did a few weeks ago - height of the "Wilson is a bust" phase.

Big picture - sounds like a normal rookie year. Dreadful at the start - encouraging progress at the end.

[Bronx]

[Grandy]

Wanted him to have a better season. Easily. Interestingly enough, I can't say I'm very disappointed either.

His stats as a whole are certainly not where I wanted them to be, but stats only tell part of it. Had he not shown improvement and cut down on issues as the season went along I would be much more bothered by his play. I acknowledge that the most important thing in a rookie season is improvement, so I'm not let down by his campaign as a whole. 

Still definitely need to see more before I really believe in him. He's got a long way to go but I think he checks out upstairs and have a good feeling that he'll put in the work to succeed. Just gotta see it happen. 

[ryu79]

I'd love to see a split of his stats H1 vs H2 of this season to see if they back up the narrative of his improvement. I would expect they do, but haven't had time to calc. 

[NYJets43]

I don’t share any optimism on ZW. The kid has looked overwhelmed most of the year. Of course he could take a big jump in year 2, but I wouldn’t count on it. 

[Hex]

1 hour ago, Bronx said:

[JustInFudge]

To answer the questions; 

- Unsure but more more optimistic today than I was after the Saints game.

- While I was never onboard with the pick, I still expected a lot more than we got, especially if you gave credence to the hype train even in the slightest.  In some ways, he exceeded expectations ie; toughness.  In other ways, he miserably failed to meet expectations; namely his accuracy and ball placement.  

- the #2 pick should do a lot better than he did.  He was nowhere near ready and the narrative prior to the season was strongly, Zach is pro-ready day 1, actually QB1 in the draft and he will not have the luxury of the weapons excuse.  Weird how all of that changed.

- No, another QB isnt the priority.  I was steady on the, bring a vet in to challenge him camp but I dont see it happening now. They're clearly all in on him and there was enough positives toward the end of the season to run it back with hopefully a more talented squad and year 2 in the system/NFL and Mike White as the back up.

Overall, Zach went from looking like one of the worst rookie QB's I've ever seen to placement level starter and that's actually pretty solid progress if you think about it coupled with the fact the roster was deteriorating in the process.  I'm cautiously optimistic he shows considerable improvement next season.

Here is what I want to see from Zach Wilson next season;

- drastically better footwork, drop backs and pocket presence; stop staring down the rush and running around like a chicken with your head cut off, take what the D gives you.

- accuracy and ball placement has to improve and he has to get the ball out quicker.  

- leadership and accountability.  It may happen through the week but I want to see it on Sundays and him to take ownership in the face of the public.  Let everyone know this is your team.

 

 

[Averagejetsfan1421]

We need to bring in some serious qb competition, idc if it’s a drafted guy or a free agent but he needs to be challenged and not handed the starting job 

[ScarletKnight89]

His rookie year was underwhelming by any standard. But I do think there were some good signs/moments/games from Zach Wilson to give us hope that he can grow into being the franchise QB that this team has been looking for. 

I think one good comparison to look at for Zach Wilson if you believe in him would be Matt Stafford. Stafford had special arm talent coming out of Georgia, like Zach Wilson, he went to a bad team, and also like Zach Wilson had a rough rookie year. I'm not trying to compare them as overall players but just as top draft picks on bad teams.

Zach completed 56% of his passes as a rookie. A poor number. Matt Stafford completed only 53%. Stafford took a pretty sizable jump in his second full year compared to where he was as a rookie. Wilson needs to make that same jump next year.

Drops were an issue for Wilson as a rookie. But even when you adjust his competition percentage to account for those drops, it’s still bottom of the league when you adjust it for all QBs across the board. His accuracy has got to get better. It’s the biggest thing I want to see improve. I do think some of this stuff can be explained by being on a bad team that once again, couldn’t keep players healthy. Zach was awful against Buffalo but was down his top 4 receivers by that point and his two best offensive lineman. Even Crowder came back and exited quickly by getting hurt.

The Jets have to go out this off season and get Zach Wilson two tight ends that he can rely on over the middle of the field. He’s got to add an above average starting tight end and a quality backup. Give him easy throws to make with big targets. They also have to go out and get him a true number 1 receiver. I like Jameson Williams in the draft but I could also be swayed into seeing the Jets go after Allan Robinson or Mike Williams. Both guys are great at contested catches and making plays in traffic. Those are traits that could really help out a young QB.

Zach’s overall performance as a rookie was underwhelming. I believe in his physical talent though and do think, similar to Trevor Lawrence, he struggled by being a rookie QB on a bad team. It’s got to get better though. He was finishing up the season strong until he had a dud game in Buffalo. I think his ball protection after coming back from the injury was a huge positive. Next year is going to be a big year for him. Joe Douglas has to put him in the best position to succeed by limiting the excuses. 

[Rhg1084]

Zach will make big strides going into year 2 with this system. Get him another WR and a TE and he’s gonna flourish. Very lucky to have Lafleur as his o coordinator 

[fullblast]

He performed about on par with what I expected, which was generally awful with a few flashes sprinkled in. I didn't like the idea of drafting a kid who made his name against a bunch of juco-level colleges at #2 overall and expected a very rough season for him. That said, I'm encouraged by the way he cut down on his turnovers over the second half of the season and seemed to improve on his decision making. Felt like the game started to slow down for him, which is a good sign. How that translates into 2022 and beyond remains to be seen.

They can and should bring in a solid veteran to back him up for next year but for all intents and purposes this is his show until he proves that it isn't.

[thebuzzardman]

Zach sucks/is great

 

There. I saved future readers at least 48 pages

[rangerous]

imo i think he improved over the last stretch of games.  he became more of a game manager and the improvement to the run game helped quite a bit. it's clear the jets really need to make sure he gets better oline protection, a solid run game, better wr's (or least be free of injuries), and a much better te.  and obviously the defense comes into play.  they need to get more stops so the offense can get on the field more.  and vice versa.

[HawkeyeJet]

I will only participate in polls about the true QB of the north, Mike White.

[prime21]

My concern is his accuracy. His passes seem to be often very low or behind the receivers even in those rare plays when they are open.



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[T0mShane]

Things that surprised me:

—Physically tougher than I expected. Took a beating and got back up. I thought he’d be a mush and he has a lot more grit than I suspected.

—Handled NY and the media better than I thought he would. He was savvy, said the right things, avoided the traps. 
 

Things I thought were cool:

—Springy arm strength. He’s not Josh Allen-tier, but he throws a very live ball. 
—He tries hard even when he’s sucking. Doesn’t go into a shell like Darnold did. Lots of internal confidence.

Things I hated:

—I’m not sure he knows how to play QB, and great QBs come out of the womb as QBs. He plays like a kid who watches a lot of Aaron Rodgers and Pat Mahomes highlights and tries to do an impression of those guys, but isn’t as good as those guys. 

Bottom line for me: I think he’s a talented guy who might be good somewhere else, but I don’t think he’s good enough to overcome being the QB of the Jets. His alleged improvement coincided with the improvement of the running game, and with being completely neutered upon return from injury. It’s cool that they slapped the training wheels on him at midseason, but it reinforces the idea that no one in the Jets building can be trusted with developing Zach Wilson. They should have let San Francisco draft him. As it is, we’ll be lucky if Saleh gets him to become Jimmy Garopollo-lite. Best of luck to everyone involved. 

[RutgersJetFan]

Really strange rookie year. Abysmal first half followed by a second half that qualifies as an acceptable rookie wash.  The latter was compounded by several ****ed up weeks that are normally viewed as unfair positions for rookies and yet all things considered he handled them quite well and also played better while dealing with it all.

There is just as much evidence to suggest he's Darnold or Sanchez as there is not. Just strange.

[Jet Nut]

6 minutes ago, T0mShane said:

They should have let San Francisco draft him. As it is, we’ll be lucky if Saleh gets him to become Jimmy Garopollo-lite. Best of luck to everyone involved.

Because SF seems to have developed Lance?  

[#27TheDominator]

I am interested in his rapport with Elijah Moore.  Moore spent plenty of time dinged, but he seemed to come alive when White came in, then a huge game with Flacco.  Wilson came back and Moore went fight back to 50% catch rate and his yards per target plumetted.  Maybe they just couldn't get on the same page, but Moore seems like he does exactly what these guys want, and Wilson's struggles with him seem problematic.

[Jimmy 2 Times]

I wasn't pro Zach before the draft, but once we drafted him I jumped onboard.  

I would've been disappointed with his stats if I saw them preseason, but when you add in the rushing touchdowns along with the fact he had half a dozen receivers tackled at the one yard line, it's not as bad as it seems.  

I believe that it clicked for him midseason and hopefully they continue to prioritize building around him.  Imo, he's more than good enough to win with and maybe someday he can be elite. 

[T0mShane]

6 minutes ago, Jet Nut said:

Because SF seems to have developed Lance?  

Trey Lance threw 73 passes this year, five of them for TDs (vs 2 INTs).

Zach Wilson threw 383 passes this season for 9 TDs (vs 11 INTs).

Lance and Wilson started against one common opponent—the Houston Texans. Here are their stat lines in those games:

Lance: 16 of 23 (70%) for 249 yards, 2 TDs and one INT. 

Wilson: 14 of 24 (58%) for 142 yards and an INT.

I’d say Trey Lance is getting a pretty good education out there, comparatively speaking. 

[maury77]

Wilson's year was about on par with what I expected because I thought he was massively overhyped ... and I still feel that way. Did he improve during his rookie season? Yes, he went from unplayable to mediocre. The games where he succeeded were the ones where the running game succeeded and he was able to work the screen game. 

Being able to make a nice throw every once ini a while doesn't make you elite (every guy in the NFL can make a nice throw every once in a while). I don't see what Wilson is elite at.

Size? No. 

Athleticism? He's quick and has some escapability, but he isn't a guy you are going to manufacture running plays for. 

Arm strength? He has a good arm, but its not in the Allen/Mahomes/Stafford tier. 

Pocket awareness? He has an awful tendency to run backwards in the pocket. 

Accuracy? No. 

Release? Maybe

Processing? No. 

So what do we have to show for the second overall pick? A player who we are hoping can gain enough consistency to be a game manager?

My hope is that the team continues to improve around him so that eventually the roster will be playoff caliber and they can win games with him, but I don't see Wilson as a guy you are ever going to win a playoff game with. 

[The Crusher]

1 hour ago, JiFapono said:

To answer the questions; 

- Unsure but more more optimistic today than I was after the Saints game.

- While I was never onboard with the pick, I still expected a lot more than we got, especially if you gave credence to the hype train even in the slightest.  In some ways, he exceeded expectations ie; toughness.  In other ways, he miserably failed to meet expectations; namely his accuracy and ball placement.  

- the #2 pick should do a lot better than he did.  He was nowhere near ready and the narrative prior to the season was strongly, Zach is pro-ready day 1, actually QB1 in the draft and he will not have the luxury of the weapons excuse.  Weird how all of that changed.

- No, another QB isnt the priority.  I was steady on the, bring a vet in to challenge him camp but I dont see it happening now. They're clearly all in on him and there was enough positives toward the end of the season to run it back with hopefully a more talented squad and year 2 in the system/NFL and Mike White as the back up.

Overall, Zach went from looking like one of the worst rookie QB's I've ever seen to placement level starter and that's actually pretty solid progress if you think about it coupled with the fact the roster was deteriorating in the process.  I'm cautiously optimistic he shows considerable improvement next season.

Here is what I want to see from Zach Wilson next season;

- drastically better footwork, drop backs and pocket presence; stop staring down the rush and running around like a chicken with your head cut off, take what the D gives you.

- accuracy and ball placement has to improve and he has to get the ball out quicker.  

- leadership and accountability.  It may happen through the week but I want to see it on Sundays and him to take ownership in the face of the public.  Let everyone know this is your team.

 

 

Stop drifting backwards too. Well said sweet one. 

[GangGreened]

Voted wrong on the last one. Meant to select the second to last option.

 

[Jet Nut]

1 hour ago, T0mShane said:

Trey Lance threw 73 passes this year, five of them for TDs (vs 2 INTs).

Zach Wilson threw 383 passes this season for 9 TDs (vs 11 INTs).

Lance and Wilson started against one common opponent—the Houston Texans. Here are their stat lines in those games:

Lance: 16 of 23 (70%) for 249 yards, 2 TDs and one INT. 

Wilson: 14 of 24 (58%) for 142 yards and an INT.

I’d say Trey Lance is getting a pretty good education out there, comparatively speaking. 

And he sat for Garoppolo

Lance plays for a playoff team that the panel on ESPN this morning were being called the team that could surprise by making the SB.

No one said anything, anywhere close to that about the Jets