New York Jets Backup Quarterback a ‘Clear’ Upgrade Over Zach Wilson

The New York Jets backup quarterback looks to be much better than Zach Wilson was.

Dec 17, 2023; Miami Gardens, Florida, USA; New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) drops back to attempt a pass against the Miami Dolphins during the first half at Hard Rock Stadium. / Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Not only was Aaron Rodgers getting healthy the biggest focus of the offseason for the New York Jets, but finding a replacement for Zach Wilson meant just as much.

While the team's success will likely be determined by what Rodgers can do offensively, they can't have a similar situation to last year.

Losing Rodgers on the first drive turned the 2023-24 campaign upside down, a factor that the Jets were hoping they never had to face. And in return, Wilson proved again and again that he wasn't good enough to be a quarterback they could trust.

The backup quarterback position was a focus heading into the offseason, and general manager Joe Douglas did what he had to do to improve the position.

New York signed veteran Tyrod Taylor to a two-year, $12 million deal.

Taylor, 34 years old, has proven throughout his career that he can be relied on. He threw for 1,341 yards and five touchdowns in 180 attempts last season.

According to Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic, it was "clear" during minicamp how much of an upgrade Taylor is over Wilson.

"Rodgers skipping minicamp gave Taylor an opportunity to get some reps with the first-team offense; it was immediately clear how much of an upgrade he is over Zach Wilson.

"Taylor might be the best deep ball thrower of any No. 2 quarterback and still has mobility, but tends to hold onto the ball too long and can miss some easy throws in the intermediate areas."

The hope is that Taylor hardly ever has to play, but that's unrealistic. Asking a 40-year-old Rodgers to be healthy all season doesn't seem probable.

Perhaps Rodgers can play in every game and be who they need him to be, but Taylor will definitely have to play in certain scenarios.

If Rodgers does go down, there's not much of a need to panic this time around. The Jets and the fan base seemed to know that Wilson wasn't going to do the trick last year, but that's not the case with Taylor.

He's likely not going to carry this team to the Super Bowl, but that can be said about every backup quarterback in the NFL.

As long as he can be serviceable when the team needs it, he'd be a big help.