New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson had perhaps the best game of his career after trade rumors surfaced last week. Facing off against a white-hot Houston Texans team, the former second-round pick finished the night by completing 27 of his 36 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Quite simply, he looked like the guy from BYU the Jets thought they were getting all those years ago.
That's a "WOW" play right there from Zach Wilson as the @nyjets drive continues. pic.twitter.com/dXxzyojADZ
— Glenn Naughton (@JNRadio_Glenn) December 10, 2023
Week 14 notwithstanding, it’s no secret that Zach Wilson has not exactly thrived in New York. The Jets quarterback has been benched in each of the past two seasons and it’s clear that this relationship is not going to work out long-term. After his most recent benching, head coach Robert Saleh turned the reins over to Tim Boyle. However, Boyle proved to be worse than Wilson, and the team eventually pivoted back to their original starter. However, this wasn’t a drama-free transition, as reports across the league indicated that Wilson did not want to start for the Jets. Quite frankly, that’s a major sign that there is no fixing this relationship, no matter how well Wilson plays down the stretch.
Even if Zach Wilson plays well and demands a trade, it’s hard to imagine any of the other 31 teams giving him a chance to be the unquestioned starter. However, his performance against the Texans showed that there is some untapped talent in his tank, so there is a chance that another team could bring him in to compete for a backup spot or challenge a starter. Without further ado, these five teams make the most sense based on that description.
Report: Zach Wilson Trade Is Imminent – Top 5 Team Fits
Pittsburgh Steelers
The Pittsburgh Steelers are imploding before our eyes, as the team has dropped two straight games to two separate 2-10 teams. The reason for this is obvious – the offense is one of the worst in the league. Kenny Pickett looks like one of the worst quarterbacks in the league, Mitchell Trubisky is not even a backup-caliber quarterback, and it’s clear that Matt Canada wasn’t solely responsible for the offensive shortcomings. It’s hard to imagine a coach like Mike Tomlin pulling the plug on Kenny Pickett after just two seasons, but they should invest in a better backup. Zach Wilson has much better physical gifts and likely wouldn’t cost too much in a trade.
New Orleans Saints
The Derek Carr experiment was a complete and total failure, but thanks to the horrid nature of the NFC South, the Saints might still make the playoffs. If that happens, they probably won’t be able to get their quarterback of the future in the 2024 NFL Draft. One way or another, this team is stuck with Derek Carr’s contract next year, but they should look to upgrade the backup position. Jameis Winston is a free agent, and if the front office believes Zach Wilson is an upgrade, they could easily orchestrate a trade to solidify the position.
Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford is still a solid NFL quarterback, but you can tell that age is starting to catch up to the one-time Super Bowl champion. The former first-round pick is missing more throws than normal, and he has struggled with injuries over the past two years. Much like the Saints, the Rams are probably too good to get one of the top quarterbacks in the draft, so they should consider a Zach Wilson trade. The team brought in Baker Mayfield last year for a short audition, and they could do the same thing with Wilson. If he plays well when given the opportunity, perhaps he could become a bridge quarterback after Stafford. If not, then Los Angeles can let him walk in free agency.
Minnesota Vikings
Nobody exactly knows what the Minnesota Vikings are going to do with their quarterback situation. Kirk Cousins was in the midst of the best season of his career prior to tearing his Achilles, and now there is a very real chance he’s playing elsewhere next year. If that happens, Minnesota will be hard-pressed to find another starting-caliber quarterback. Perhaps the team could roll with Josh Dobbs for another season, or they could trade for Zach Wilson and see if they can recapture his BYU magic.
Kansas City Chiefs
Obviously, Zach Wilson is not going to beat out Patrick Mahomes for the starting job. However, the Chiefs should consider upgrading their backup quarterback position. Wilson’s gunslinging style of play is a poor, poor version of Mahomes, and if any coach can figure out how to fix him, it’s Andy Reid. It’s probably a longshot, but there is a chance they trade pennies for Zach Wilson, fix him in the preseason, and then have a strong backup plan in the event injury strikes Mahomes.
Main Photo: Vincent Carchietta – USA Today Sports
