NFL Rumors: New York Jets fear that Zach Wilson is heading towards Sam Darnold 2.0

New York Jets QB Zach Wilson
New York Jets QB Zach Wilson

Zach Wilson was a massive success at BYU, which landed him the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft. New York Jets fan base rejoiced as Wilson walked across the stage in Cleveland, Ohio. The Jets felt that they found the future of their franchise with Wilson.

The Jets' second overall pick has had a bumpy ride since being drafted. The ride started with Wilson being the last first-round pick to sign his contract. The Jets fear that Zach Wilson could turn into Sam Darnold 2.0 after early struggles in training camp.


Despite early struggles, Jets HC Robert Saleh feels optimistic about Zach Wilson.

New York Jets QB Zach Wilson
New York Jets QB Zach Wilson

Zach Wilson's situation is different from Trevor Lawrence, Justin Fields, Trey Lance, and Mac Jones. Wilson has nowhere to hide and doesn't have a veteran quarterback behind him. The Jets have done it again. They've placed the weight of their franchise on the shoulders of a rookie quarterback.

On the other hand, Robert Saleh feels great about Zach Wilson and thinks he will turn things around. When Saleh was asked about his thoughts on the recent struggles, he expressed positivity.

"It's going to get worse before it gets better. He's at that point now where he's going to be able to stack up a good day. We have all the most utmost confidence in him and his ability, his ability to figure out the mistakes and correct him and get to a better place."

Saleh could be attempting to downplay his fears with Wilson. It's not that Wilson has been awful during training camp. He's just had a handful of practices that show concerning signs. Wilson's performance on Monday summed up the fear of the Jets.

Wilson's inconsistencies have stood out the most during training camp. The former BYU product threw two nice touchdowns to newly added wide receiver Corey Davis. After tossing the two touchdowns, Wilson ended his day with seven straight incomplete passes.

That's normal for a rookie quarterback, right? Usually, yes, but Wilson is under a ton of pressure, and the Jets need to start turning things around. That begins with Zach Wilson at quarterback. The hardest thing for Zach Wilson is that the Jets fan base isn't going to be patient, especially since he's a number two pick with a ton of hype.

Wilson will have the opportunity to show what he can do against other NFL defenses on Saturday night against the New York Giants. The Jets announced that Wilson will play the entire first quarter against the Giants.

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Edited by Arnav Kholkar