Frank Reich defends himself as Garrett Wilson target discourse rages on

The New York Jets have not featured star wide receiver Garrett Wilson as often as many fans believe they should have in the last few weeks, and offensive coordinator Frank Reich has come under fire for his commitment to distributing the ball to the Jets' menagerie of pass-catchers.

Reich called Wilson's frustration with the lack of catches "healthy tension" while praising him as a player who wants the ball when the game is on the line. However, Reich defended both his play-calling and the decision not to force-feed Wilson, stating that the gravity he brings as a receiver opens up plays for others.

Reich identified both of Omar Cooper Jr's big plays in the loss to the Miami Dolphins as examples of that. While the Dolphins focused on Wilson, who only had two catches for 26 yards in that Week 7 loss, Cooper was left wide open for two big chunk plays. Reich doesn't sound like someone who wants to lean on Garrett until his proverbial wheels fall off.

New York Jets OC Frank Reich defends offense after Garrett Wilson's two-catch day

There's a balance the Jets have to find. Not only does this pass-catching stable feature young standouts like Kenyon Sadiq, Mason Taylor, and Adonai Mitchell in addition to Cooper and Wilson, but Braelon Allen is starting to play like the best version of himself. The Jets need to get all of these guys involved.

The same fans complaining that Wilson is not targeted enough will also bleat that Sadiq needs to be more involved and Cooper must be fed after his scintillating start to his career. Smith playing buddy ball with Wilson would make an already limited Jets offense even less potent.

However, Wilson needs to be featured more than he has been in recent weeks. The Miami game was particularly egregious, as he didn't have a player like Christian Gonzalez shadowing him. Wilson may not be upset to the point of demanding a trade, but he wants to be a part of helping turn this team around, and he can't do it without the ball.

The New York Jets need to feature Garrett Wilson a bit more

The Raiders, who play two rookie defensive backs heavy snaps and are coming into Week 8 on a four-game losing streak, should be a very fertile ground for the Jets to experiment with scheming Wilson open. However, Miami was supposed to be a similar opportunity, and Wilson ended the game with just a handful of catches.

All of this plays into broader frustrations with the Jets' coaching staff, who left two home wins against Green Bay and Miami on the table. Rather than eyeing a playoff spot at 4-3, Wilson and the Jets are staring down the barrel of another losing season. Wilson, who has 37 catches for 444 yards and two touchdowns this season, may be in for his fifth-straight losing campaign.

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