Jets’ Garrett Wilson decision reinforces the organization’s commitment to the tank

NFL players and coaches do not tank. No matter the record, no matter the circumstances, they are trying to win every game they play. The New York Jets, of course, are no exception to this rule.

Despite sitting as a three-win team with just three games remaining in the season, the players in the locker room and the coaching staff on the sidelines are still approaching each week with the goal of winning.

That said, this reality can exist alongside a very different organizational perspective. On Friday, Jets head coach Aaron Glenn announced that the team will not activate wide receiver Garrett Wilson from injured reserve and will instead shut him down for the remainder of the season.

Wilson has been sidelined since Week 10 with a knee injury and was eligible to return, but the Jets ultimately decided it was not worth bringing him back at this stage of the year.

This is a simple and sensible decision when viewed in isolation. But when viewed in context, it can also be a bit revealing.

While the Jets may be trying to win on Sundays, their roster management, personnel decisions, and approach to injured reserve increasingly suggest that the franchise is operating with the bigger picture firmly in mind, and with 2025 clearly outweighing the short-term results of a lost season.

The Jets are "trying" to win every game, but they're intentionally operating with a more long-term vision. The Wilson decision is just the latest evidence of that.

Garrett Wilson injury update proves Jets are committed to the "tank"

Wilson was on pace to set new career highs before suffering a knee injury in Week 6 that ultimately derailed his season. He returned after a three-week absence to play in the Jets’ Week 10 matchup against the Cleveland Browns, but he aggravated the injury and was soon placed on injured reserve.

Glenn insisted that Wilson's rehab process has been going well, but that the team "wanted to be smart" with his recovery. It isn't difficult to read between the lines. If the Jets were competitive and trying their hardest to win every game, Wilson would be on the field this Sunday.

The reality is that, while the Jets coaches and players are doing everything they can to win each week, the franchise is well aware of the goal of this season. The Jets are fully entrenched in evaluation mode at this stage of the year.

Look no further than the team's decision to start undrafted rookie quarterback Brady Cook over a now-healthy Tyrod Taylor. Taylor almost certainly gives the team the best chance to win, but winning isn't a priority for the organization at the moment — nor should it be.

NFL teams don’t outright tank in the way many fans would like them to, but what the Jets are doing is threading the needle between competing on Sundays and making decisions with a clear eye toward the future.

They want to evaluate Cook. They want to give Wilson's snaps to other young receivers on the roster, such as Adonai Mitchell and John Metchie. The goal is to win, sure, but not if it comes at the expense of the future of the organization.

The Jets aren't trying to lose games to improve their draft position, but if that's the end result of playing young guys to evaluate their roster, general manager Darren Mougey isn't going to complain.

This is the same Jets team that shipped two of its best players, Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams, at the trade deadline. Isaiah Oliver and Tony Adams were placed on season-ending injured reserve this week, Allen Lazard was released, and you can guarantee Josh Reynolds will remain on IR even if he’s healthy enough to return.

None of these moves are about chasing short-term wins. They’re about maximizing long-term flexibility and making sure the organization doesn’t lose sight of the bigger picture as the season winds down.

That’s why Garrett Wilson won’t be back this season. Call it tanking or call it smart roster management — either way, it’s the correct approach.