Insider updates what Jets may have to do to trade Zach Wilson
It was suggested during the combine that the New York Jets may have to pay and/or give up a late draft pick to trade quarterback Zach Wilson this offseason.
On Monday, Jets insider Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported that he didn’t “get the sense many teams are going to be willing to give up trade capital for a player the league knows is on the chopping block, especially for one that would likely be fighting to be a backup anyway” based on buzz heard during the NFL Scouting Combine.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas confirmed in late February that Wilson’s representation had been granted permission to seek a trade. The Los Angeles Rams seemingly won’t have much interest in Wilson, and Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported on Sunday that the San Francisco 49ers could be an “intriguing option” for the 24-year-old because 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan may want to stash the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft on the roster as a backup.
“The main sticking point: The $5.4M cap hit any acquiring team will take on,” Rosenblatt said about the Jets trying to shop Wilson. “The Jets wouldn’t save any money by cutting him, so one possible outcome would involve the Jets attaching a draft pick to Wilson to get another team to take him off their hands. That would save the Jets that $5.4M with a $5.7M dead cap hit, instead of saving no money with a $11.18M dead cap.”
After it was reported in late January that Wilson’s relationship with Week 1 starter Aaron Rodgers “soured” as Rodgers spent the bulk of the season recovering from a torn Achilles, Jets owner Woody Johnson essentially announced to the world the club would be signing a different backup quarterback as soon as later this month. Specifically, Rosenblatt mentioned Jacoby Brissett of the Washington Commanders, Gardner Minshew of the Indianapolis Colts and Ryan Tannehill of the Tennessee Titans as “potential targets” for the Jets.
As for Wilson, his camp needs to find just one team willing to give him a career reset. Last offseason, the 49ers waited until late August before they traded Trey Lance to the Dallas Cowboys.
