NFL analyst and former Jets star Boomer Esiason reacted Tuesday to team owner Woody Johnson’s comments that the club could hold onto much-maligned quarterback Zach Wilson if no team meets its asking price for him this offseason.
“To me, that’s just a smokescreen,” Esiason explained during the latest edition of the “Boomer and Gio” program, per Ryan Chichester of Audacy. “Wilson, in my eyes, is not gonna be on this team next year. There’s no way. He is too hyper-explosive when it comes to the fanbase.”
Jets head coach Robert Saleh benched Wilson several times over the past two seasons, and the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft was granted permission to seek a trade following the 2023 campaign. It was previously thought that there wasn’t much of a trade market for Wilson’s services due largely to his poor play and the Jets’ clear desire to move on. Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk reported Monday that Gang Green hasn’t yet liked any offers the club has received for the 24-year-old.
Florio also suggested Johnson had thus kept a Wilson trade “from happening,” but the owner denied that claim on Monday.
Like others before him, Esiason said the Jets “might have to put a draft pick with” Wilson to get a team to accept even part of the quarterback’s contract. The former BYU Cougars standout is due to make a guaranteed $5.5M in salary and bonuses for the final year of his rookie deal, and ESPN’s Rich Cimini is among those who have reported the Jets will have to “eat a chunk” of that money to complete a trade.
Esiason and co-host Gregg Giannotti mentioned how it’s no secret to teams around the league that Wilson has no long-term home with the Jets after it was reported that his relationship with starter Aaron Rodgers “soured” over the past season. The Jets relegated Wilson to QB3 duties with the signing of veteran Tyrod Taylor, and there’s a chance that the club could spend a mid-round draft pick to acquire a rookie quarterback next month.
As much as Johnson may not want to release Wilson this spring or summer, Esiason sounds convinced that Jets general manager Joe Douglas will be permitted to do what’s needed to part ways with him before training camp practices open this summer.
