FLORHAM PARK, N.J. – New York Jets rookie quarterback Zach Wilson appears to have a clear path to the starting job, but he doesn’t expect to be handed a freebie.
“In this position, the coaches want to play the best player. That position has to be earned,” the second overall pick said Saturday on the second day of rookie minicamp. “I have to do what I’m supposed to do. That’ll take care of itself.”
Wilson said starting is “important” to him, but not the priority. He said his main focus is learning the offense and getting acclimated to his new teammates. At BYU, he was a backup for his first six games as a freshman before becoming the youngest starter in school history at 19 years, 2 months.
Right now, he has no competition. The only other quarterbacks on the roster are James Morgan, a 2020 fourth-round pick, and former practice squad player Mike White. Neither quarterback has played in a regular-season game.
The Jets are expected to add a veteran before training camp. They’ve already met with journeyman Brian Hoyer. Former San Francisco 49ers backup Nick Mullens is another free-agent option. Both Mullens and Hoyer have ties to the Jets’ new coaching staff, most of which came from the 49ers. Chicago Bears backup Nick Foles also has been mentioned in media speculation.
New coach Robert Saleh hasn’t revealed his plan for Wilson, but the organization’s hope is that he’s ready to start by Week 1. After years of inconsistency at the position, the Jets are confident that Wilson — the highest-drafted quarterback in franchise history — can be a long-term fix.
“He did a really nice job,” Saleh said of Wilson’s first day at rookie camp. “The ball was in and out of his hand very crisp. He was in rhythm, and was on time, the players were running the right routes. The ball was barely on the ground.”
Wilson, 21, already is showing leadership traits, as he reached out to several fellow rookies after the draft. Wide receiver Elijah Moore, a second-round pick, said Wilson is “like a general. … His passion comes out through the phone.”
At the same time, Wilson said he has received welcome-to-the-team texts from several veterans, including wide receiver Corey Davis, center Connor McGovern and defensive tackle Quinnen Williams.
The former BYU star said he’d like to organize informal offseason workouts with the veteran skill players, as previous quarterbacks did in the past. Former quarterback Sam Darnold held workouts last offseason in South Florida. Wilson said it’s “definitely a priority” before training camp. “We’ll make it happen.”
One thing appears settled: Wilson is expected to wear No. 2. It’s not official yet, but he’s leaning that way.
“Mixing it up, doing something new,” said Wilson, who wore No. 1 for most of his BYU career. “I like single-digit numbers. I think it’s kind of cool that I was the second pick. That’s kind of a cool reason to shake it up.”