FLORHAM PARK, N.J. — One scene grew more and more familiar as the second day of Jets training camp wore on last week: quarterback Zach Wilson’s scrambling.
The defensive line pressure consistently got to the backfield — some of those pressures might have resulted in sacks in live games if laying a finger on the quarterback in an N.F.L. practice were allowed — often forcing Wilson out of the pocket and out of bounds.
On one play, he rolled to the right and, with the defenders around him, effortlessly launched it downfield to receiver Corey Davis. Davis was able to grab the ball over the outstretched fingers of a defender. This was a glimpse at the skill that propelled Wilson up to the No. 2 overall pick in last year’s draft.
These plays were not common last season. The Jets’ offense struggled, finishing near the bottom in the league in points per game, and Wilson finished with just nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In 2021, he was the third most frequently dismissed starter in the league (44 times in 13 games). The Jets ended with a 4-13 record.
At Jets camp, Coach Robert Saleh raved about young quarterbacks, including Buffalo’s Josh Allen and Kansas City’s Patrick Mahomes, who he said were “so hard to defend” because of their ability to make plays outside of the pocket and escape defenders when under pressure.
“If you have the ability to do both like those guys do, you become a very dangerous individual,” Saleh said.
Wilson demonstrated this ability at Brigham Young University where he ran for 10 touchdowns and 33 passing scores in 2020. However, his first season in the N.F.L. was a disappointment. However, he struggled to react to pressure and make plays on-the-fly in his first N.F.L. season.
According to N.F.L., Wilson completed only 24 percent of his passes under pressure and only 30 percent while running. Both were last among quarterbacks who had at least five games. Next Gen Stats. Saleh pointed to Wilson’s off-script playmaking at training camp as a way for Wilson to build chemistry with his receivers. It was a way to make broken plays more chaotic than just disarray.
“He looks much more comfortable doing that than he did a year ago,” Saleh said.
It took a season or two for many of the league’s top quarterbacks to develop into superstars, and the addition of skilled offensive players often helped improve their play. Allen vaulted into the N.F.L.’s elite in his third season thanks to an increase in accuracy that coincided with the arrival of receiver Stefon Diggs. Joe Burrow led the Bengals to the Super Bowl in the 2021 season, his second, after Cincinnati drafted his college teammate, Ja’Marr Chase, who was named an All-Pro as a rookie.
The Jets invested in offensive talent during the off-season, upgrading Wilson’s players to accelerate his progress. They selected Garrett Wilson from Ohio State, a dynamic receiver, tenth in the N.F.L. draft; traded up to take Breece Hill of Iowa State in the second round; and signed C.J. Uzomah is free agency
Since joining the Jets, Uzomah has grown impressed with Wilson, having gone on a July trip Wilson hosted for the team’s tight ends, receivers and quarterbacks in Northern Idaho. Last week, Uzomah attended training camp for the first time. Uzomah wore a T-shirtThat cover featured Wilson photoshopped onto a Time magazine Person of Year cover.
“He’s got a hell of an arm,” Uzomah said. “He’s going to be able to make the tough throws. It’s just a matter of him slowing the game down.”
Even if Wilson is able to utilize his new coterie of pass catchers, his success will rely heavily on protection from the Jets’ inconsistent offensive line and how he improves as a decision maker. Of the 44 sacks Wilson took last season, 32 came when he had more than four seconds to throw the ball — both the third highest in the league, according to N.F.L. Next Gen Stats.
Last season, the Jets were without Mekhi Becton, who was drafted 11th overall in 2020 to be the team’s long-term starting left tackle. Becton sustained a season-ending knee injury last season. Saleh announced that Becton would move to right tackle on the first day this year of training camp. Becton is listed at 6 feet 7 and 363 pounds. His lack of conditioning and weight have been criticised this off-season. Saleh said Becton had been training to get into “football shape.”
Becton was still exhausted throughout camp. He had to work through a very limited snap count and defensive end reps were few. If Becton can regain his rookie-year form when N.F.L. Wilson should be standing up a lot more than last season, since he was ranked sixth in league tackles.
“I think Zach will be a lot better,” Saleh said, noting the addition of Becton and others on offense. “It is young group, but what is going to be fun is to watch this group gel together.”
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