Jets GM Doubles Down On Zach Wilson Praise Amid Derek Carr Pursuit

The NFL combine started this week, and it’s the time of year general managers are excited about their teams heading into the offseason.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas addressed his meeting with free agent Derek Carr as his team seeks to add a veteran quarterback to the mix. New York has the salary cap to aggressively go after the top quarterbacks in the market, including Aaron Rodgers if the Green Bay Packers make him available.

But the Jets have not wavered on their support of Zach Wilson. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft had a poor sophomore season, but head coach Robert Saleh has insisted the team will not give up on the 23-year-old quarterback, even though the organization has agreed an upgrade is needed.

“Our stance on Zach hasn’t changed,” Douglas told reporters Tuesday, per NFL Media’s Mike Giardi. “We still feel like he has a high ceiling.”

New York believes Wilson can reach the next level in his development, but it also is heavily linked to quarterbacks like Lamar Jackson, assuming his contract situation with the Baltimore Ravens takes a significant turn.

Douglas might believe his sentiment on Wilson, but Buccaneers general manager Jason Licht had high praise for Leonard Fournette before Tampa Bay’s plans to release him were reported by NFL Media’s Tom Pelissero.

Things always can change in the NFL, and if the Jets have to trade Wilson to acquire a player like Rodgers or Jackson, they’d probably do it without a second thought despite the supposed “high ceiling” he possesses.