Zach Wilson Allowed to Seek Trade from Jets amid Aaron Rodgers' Injury Rehab

As New York Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers continues working his way back from a torn Achilles, 2021 No. 2 overall draft pick Zach Wilson's time with the team appears to be in the process of ending.

While speaking to reporters at the NFL Scouting Combine on Wednesday, Jets general manager Joe Douglas said the team has given Wilson permission to seek a trade.

Wilson will undoubtedly go down as one of the biggest draft busts in franchise history. While he has shown flashes of talent, his three-year career has been headlined by subpar play.

The 24-year-old has a 12-21 record as a starter and a career quarterback rating of 73.2. He's thrown for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions with a completion percentage of 57.0.

When the Jets acquired Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers last offseason, the expectation was that Wilson would spend the 2023 season learning under the four-time NFL MVP. Unfortunately, that plan was blown up four plays into the year when Rodgers tore his Achilles in the season opener against the Buffalo Bills.

Instead of acquiring a veteran to take over in Rodgers' absence, the Jets chose to ride it out with Wilson. He threw for 2,271 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions and had a league-high seven lost fumbles in 12 games before he suffered a concussion in Week 15 that caused him to miss the remainder of the season.

While there's a chance Wilson still has some untapped potential, the Jets shouldn't expect much in return if they trade him. ESPN's Rich Cimini reported earlier this month that one NFL scout said "maybe they could ask for something on Day 3—a mid-Day 3," meaning a fifth- or sixth-round pick. However, an assistant coach told Cimini, "I'd give up a two-week stay at a Best Western. I'm not a fan."