NY Jets might be forced to take extreme measures for Zach Wilson trade

The NY Jets are going to trade Zach Wilson this offseason. That's been the expectation for months now, and following general manager Joe Douglas' admission that Wilson is free to seek trade partners, it almost feels like a guarantee.

There could be a potential snag in those plans, however. The Jets do plan to part ways with Wilson this offseason, but while the former No. 2 overall pick is exploring his options, his trade market isn't exactly robust.

Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio reported on Thursday that the Jets might be forced to either eat most/all of Wilson's 2023 salary in a trade or, if they're really desperate, package Wilson with one of their own draft picks to get another team to take him.

While there is some interest in the former BYU star, teams are reportedly hesitant to pay Wilson the $5.4 million required in a normal trade. And, in all honesty, it's hard to blame those teams.

The NY Jets are having trouble arranging a Zach Wilson trade

Florio's report was echoed by The Athletic's Zack Rosenblatt, who questioned this week if the Jets would be able to get anything for their former top draft pick. Rosenblatt specifically noted Wilson's historic ineptitude as compared to other notable draft busts.

"There is some precedent for highly drafted players being traded before the end of their rookie contract, but none of them had the poor track record Wilson does heading into a potential deal."

Zack Rosenblatt

Florio's report went on to state that "unless the Jets are willing to give someone else a draft pick to take on the full $5.4 million, no one is going touch that salary." That doesn't sound promising for Wilson's trade value.

This isn't a Sam Darnold situation where the Jets will be able to recoup second and fourth-round picks for a player who teams still believe has starter potential.

It's not even a Trey Lance situation where the San Francisco 49ers were able to land a fourth-round pick for someone who was still a relatively unknown commodity.

Wilson's struggles over the last three seasons in New York rank him among the worst quarterbacks in modern NFL history to start 30+ games. Few players in recent memory to start as many games as Wilson have been as bad as he's been.

Combine that with Wilson's hefty price tag, a result of his draft status, and it's not shocking that teams aren't lining up to trade for him. That's just the unfortunate reality of the situation for Wilson and the Jets.

Maybe the Jets will be able to find a taker. Maybe they'll even find a team willing to take on his salary without being forced to include a draft pick in return.

Unfortunately, there seems to be a high likelihood that the Jets aren't going to get their way in a Wilson trade. Their hands may be tied.