NY Jets QB Zach Wilson has become public enemy No. 1 — why?

Patience is necessary with NY Jets QB Zach Wilson

It was quite apparent early on that many Jets fans weren't fond of the Zach Wilson pick. The consensus was that some fans wanted to hear Justin Fields' name called instead of Wilson -- which of course didn't happen.

And it seems that alone caused Wilson to lose the trust and faith of many of the New York faithful before he even walked on stage to accept his jersey.

Not exactly a fair assessment of a player if the main reason he isn't liked is because he isn't somebody else. Many even seem like they would be happier being correct about Wilson not being the quarterback of the future instead of being proved wrong.

The New York market hasn't been kind either. Of course, New York has been starved for competitive football for a while now, with the last playoff victory for either the Jets or Giants coming with the latter's championship in 2011.

The Jets themselves have gone just a bit longer, with their last appearance being most fondly remembered thanks to an upset win over the Patriots in the 2010 playoffs.

It's easy to understand why fans are so demanding of a quality product, as unless the Jets go on an unprecedented run over the remaining weeks, they will likely have missed the playoffs for an 11th straight season.

So where does Zach Wilson come into play with this? It seems he has painted a target on his chest to absorb the criticism of a franchise with more head coaches than winning seasons in the last decade.

It isn't unreasonable for fans to be frustrated that they're looking at mock drafts in November instead of hoping for a deep playoff run.

But this team wasn't built for success. At least not yet. The Jets had 12 rookies on the roster heading into the season, and were the youngest roster in the league. That isn't mentioning all the inexperienced coaches on the staff either.

Just as young players develop, so do coaches. It wasn't long ago that many fans were openly vocal about firing Mike LaFleur.

Looking at this in December, where Mike LaFleur should be receiving a lot of credit for helping slow the game down for Wilson, while also finding ways to get Elijah Moore the ball in order to showcase his talent, it seems crazy. It's a prime example that inexperienced personnel will grow with time, yet Wilson hasn't been given that same treatment.