Jets GM Says Aaron Rodgers Trade Will Be ‘Great Thing’ for Zach Wilson

Douglas isn’t ready to give up on his young quarterback.

Jets general manager Joe Douglas spoke to reporters on Tuesday ahead of this week’s NFL draft. 

However, as expected, much of the focus of the press conference was not on the draft. Instead, it was all about New York’s acquisition of future Hall of Fame quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who was traded to the Jets on Monday from the Packers.

The Jets are in “win now” mode with Rodgers at quarterback, which means former No. 2 pick Zach Wilson will be serving as Rodgers’s backup for the foreseeable future. Despite shelving a former top prospect, Jets general manager sees it only as a positive for Wilson and the franchise long-term.

Watch the Jets with fuboTV. Start your free trial today.

“I think this is going to be a great thing for Zach,” Douglas said. “Zach’s ceiling is unlimited. The opportunity to shadow and be with a first-ballot Hall of Fame quarterback will be a great opportunity and experience.”

In two professional seasons, Wilson has seen varying levels of success, but has battled issues with consistency. He’s completed just 55% of his passes for 4,022 yards and 15 touchdowns to 18 interceptions.

Wilson has the arm talent to be a good professional quarterback, but his ability to read NFL defenses is still a work in progress. Being able to shadow Rodgers will likely be a good experience for Wilson, who is still just 23 years old.