3 massive unknowns for NY Jets heading into 2024 NFL Draft

What don't we know about the Jets before the NFL Draft?
Zach Wilson
Zach Wilson / Brandon Sloter/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 3
Next

All gas, no breaks, that’s been head coach Robert Saleh’s mantra since joining the NY Jets back in 2021. The Jets' 2023 season was a test of patience from the fans and a disaster on and off the field. But with great patience comes great reward and the 2024 free-agency period aligns with Saleh and Douglas’ plan to be aggressive in 2024.

Wide receiver Mike Williams is already a fan favorite after the devouring of a Taylor ham, egg, and cheese sandwich sent by @NYJ_Matt on social media. The stud special teams duo of punter Thomas Morstead and kicker Greg “The Leg” Zuerlein are thankfully coming back, a major want by fans since the season ended.

General manager Joe Douglas’s most significant move was signing two-time All-Pro left tackle Tyron Smith, finally answering years of problems protecting the quarterback train the Jets have unfortunately been stuck on.

Even with these moves and more, in a year the Jets have to be nothing but all gas, no breaks, what else should the Jets be doing and what do fans need to be thinking about as we head into the 2024 draft?

3. Where will Zach Wilson be playing in 2024?

Quarterback Zach Wilson's tenure with the Jets is all but over. His Jets career played out more like Sam Darnold and Geno Smith than Mark Sanchez and Chad Pennington. Woefully, Wilson was probably the worst starting QB for the Jets under Woody Johnson's ownership.

I digress, that's neither here nor there now, Wilson won't be a Jets quarterback in 2024. Not shockingly, Wilson has no trade value and likely will be cut.

It would probably serve Wilson better to pick his next potential team rather than end up like Kenny Pickett or Justin Fields and be cast off like a member of Survivor.

With a longer season and the recent streak of NFL quarterbacks getting hurt across the league, Wilson will end up a backup quarterback if not a third-string.

It's a question of where he'll end up rather than where he'll be traded and there are not too many teams across the league that haven't done much at the QB position.

The Denver Broncos, Kansas City Chiefs, and Carolina Panthers all come to mind here not that any of these teams "need" Wilson. The Broncos have quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci after cutting veteran quarterback Russell Wilson, while the Panthers have the former Bengals star, Andy Dalton.

Ultimately, the Kansas City Chiefs could be the more likely team to sign Zach Wilson if he is indeed cut. Many Chiefs players raved about him after Wilson's rather good performance in their 23-20 win over the Jets back in October.

Wilson could improve while getting to sit behind future Hall-of-Fame quarterback Patrick Mahomes and work with future Hall-of-Fame head coach Andy Reid. Only time will tell for the soon-to-be former Jets QB.