Jets Rumors: Robert Saleh's Zach Wilson Support Has Defense 'Not Happy'

This is not how the 2023 campaign was supposed to go for the New York Jets.

They were likely a quarterback away from competing last season with a dominant defense and a talented young core of players that included Garrett Wilson, Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall. They responded this offseason by bringing in one of the best signal-callers of all time in Aaron Rodgers, only for him to tear his Achilles in the first game.

Zach Wilson is now back under center, which is reportedly frustrating the defensive players on the team.

ESPN's Rich Cimini reported on the Flight Deck podcast (3:20 mark) that the defense is not pleased with head coach Robert Saleh's continuous public support of Wilson during the early season struggles.

"Of course he has doubts about Wilson," Cimini said of the coach. "He's watching what we're watching. He's watched it for two-and-a-half years. He definitely has doubts. He knows what Wilson is. But the thing is, he's coming off as a Zach apologist. And that doesn't play well in the locker room. The defense, in particular, is not happy.

"... This defense knows that if any other player was performing his job the way Wilson is performing his, that player would be benched. Trust me, there's tension in that locker room."

Saleh has consistently supported Wilson in his press conferences, and the BYU product is in line to start Sunday's game against the Kansas City Chiefs even though he has completed just 52.4 percent of his passes for 467 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions through the first three games.

The struggles are nothing new, as the No. 2 overall pick of the 2021 NFL draft has 17 touchdown passes to 22 interceptions in his career to this point.

The defense was surely frustrated after the most recent 15-10 loss to the New England Patriots. After all, allowing only 15 points in an NFL game should be enough to win, and two of those points weren't even the defense's fault, as the Patriots notched a safety.

Yet Wilson was an ugly 18-of-36 for 157 yards, zero touchdowns and zero interceptions while the rushing attack managed a paltry 38 yards on 22 carries. It was a terrible offensive showing, and things likely won't get much better against the reigning Super Bowl champions.

That could lead to more tension in the locker room as a once-promising season continues to circle down the drain.