NY Jets offensive grades for preseason Week 3 win

Zach Wilson, QB, NY Jets

I graded Zach Wilson last week as well, and if all goes well, I hope that this is the last time I mention Wilson this year. He will only see playing time if Rodgers gets hurt or if something goes way off the rails this year. Wilson received a 'B' last week, and he gets another one for his performance against the Giants.

That said, all preseason, Wilson looked the part of a true NFL backup quarterback. Many, myself included, believed Wilson might be relegated to practice squad duty or a weekly inactive, best-case scenario. However, it truly looks like progress has been made, and much of that should be attributed to Wilson being willing to learn under Aaron Rodgers.

Wilson was 11-of-18 for 107 yards against the Giants and should have finished even better than that had it not been for a drop from receiver Xavier Gipson on a beautifully thrown ball in the second quarter. It was one of the best passes Wilson has thrown in quite some time.

Most importantly for Jets fans, it was another turnover-free performance from Wilson, who is finally starting to make the easy things look easy.

At points last year, Wilson seemed incapable of throwing even the most simple of NFL passes. He looks much more composed and confident this year, trusting his reads and making quick decisions to avoid being sacked or pressured.

Wilson finished the preseason 37-of-56 (66% completion) for 365 yards and a touchdown without committing a single turnover. Although that might not seem overly successful, remember Wilson has been a career 55% passer, with more interceptions than touchdowns.

Hopefully, Aaron Rodgers is right when he says Wilson will one day be the Jets quarterback for a decade or more.

Grade: B

Zonovan Knight, RB, NY Jets

It was another lackluster night for Zonovan Knight, who appears to be on the cut block come this week. Once Dalvin Cook was signed, it was clear someone was going to be the odd man out. Breece Hall and Cook's spots were secured, as was rookie fifth-round pick Israel Abanikanda. It was down to third-year back Michael Carter and Knight.

In the preseason, it can often be telling who is playing at what points of the game, as coaches will often only play their "guys" early in the games to avoid injury. Michael Carter's action came with Rodgers and the first-team offense. Zonovan Knight was still getting carries late in the fourth quarter with third-stringers.

To be fair, Knight has struggled all preseason. Whereas Carter and Abanikanda have flashed bursts of speed in their carries, Knight really has struggled to get anything going — Saturday night being no different.

He finished with seven carries for just 22 yards and finishes the preseason with 19 carries for 68 yards at just 3.6 yards per carry. He did add five catches for 31 yards this preseason, but all of the other backs on the roster are far better at catching the ball out of the backfield. More importantly, Knight failed to reach the endzone this preseason and also lost a fumble.

After bursting on the scene last season as a mid-season addition, Knight cooled off quickly, finishing with just 70 yards on 39 carries over his final four games of the 2022 season. Following a disappointing preseason and with too much depth in the running back room, Knight will be playing elsewhere soon.

Grade: D