Woody Johnson tanks Zach Wilson's trade value with idiotic quote

Some things are just better left unsaid. NY Jets owner Woody Johnson seemingly missed that memo when discussing Zach Wilson and his team's backup quarterback situation at the NFL Honors show on Thursday night.

Johnson took an unprompted — and quite frankly idiotic — shot at his own team's backup quarterback when he insisted the Jets "didn't have [a backup QB] last year."

Of course, the Jets did have a backup quarterback. Wilson was that quarterback. However, given how poorly he performed in 2023, Johnson's comments aren't exactly untruthful. That doesn't mean it was the smart thing to say, however.

Not only is it unprofessional and downright mean-spirited to take an unprovoked shot at Wilson like that, but it actively hurts his team's ability to trade him. There's no better way to tank a player's trade value than by publicly trashing him before to the media.

Woody Johnson's short-sighted comments could hurt the NY Jets in Zach Wilson trade talks

The Jets are widely expected to part ways with Wilson this offseason, and the expectation has been that the team will be able to find a trade partner for the former No. 2 overall pick.

While his trade value likely won't be much higher than a Day 3 pick, multiple teams are reportedly interested in acquiring the BYU product. Johnson's comments, however, could add a new layer to trade talks.

Teams now know there is zero chance the Jets retain Wilson going into next season. His relationship with the organization was already on thin ice — it's hard to imagine anything is salvageable after what Johnson said.

Potential trade partners have also heard Johnson publicly throw not only Wilson but the entire Jets front office under the bus for their handling of the backup quarterback position last year. That doesn't exactly help the team with leverage in trade talks.

It should also be noted that Johnson is rumored to have been the one who pushed for Wilson to remain the backup QB going into the season. The Jets' owner also could have pushed for his team to acquire a new quarterback following Aaron Rodgers' injury.

The Jets' failures at the quarterback position in 2023 fall largely on Johnson. He's deflecting blame and shifting it to Wilson when, in reality, he's the one who should be looking in the mirror.

Johnson is right about one thing, though. The Jets absolutely need a better backup quarterback plan entering the 2024 season. The likes of Wilson, Tim Boyle, and Trevor Siemian aren't going to cut it.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas has strongly hinted at his team's desire to add a veteran backup QB. Expect the Jets to be active in that market this offseason.

As for Woody Johnson, it's probably best to keep him away from the media as much as possible moving forward.