40°Good Morning
Zach Wilson of the Jets throws a pass against the Texans...

Zach Wilson of the Jets throws a pass against the Texans at MetLife Stadium on Sunday. Credit: Jim McIsaac

Zach Wilson’s future with the Jets remains cloudy at best, even after what probably was his best performance with the franchise.

“He was awesome,” coach Robert Saleh said during a Monday afternoon Zoom. “I said it after the game, and after watching the tape and looking at it in more detail, it was the best game he’s played, in my opinion.”

Wilson threw for 301 yards and two touchdowns as the Jets ended a five-game losing streak by beating Houston, 30-6, on Sunday at MetLife Stadium.

That performance showed that Wilson can make big-time throws and lead this team when he’s not overthinking everything and obsessing about making mistakes. But it probably won’t change the Jets’ plan with Wilson or make them consider picking up his fifth-year option in the offseason.

The truth is, Wilson could be in another uniform by the time training camp rolls around next year.

Over the weekend, The Deseret News — located in Wilson’s home state of Utah — reported that when the Jets benched Wilson last month, they informed him that they would trade him this offseason.

Saleh would neither confirm nor deny that report and deflected those questions to general manager Joe Douglas.

“My conversations with him are do everything he can to get ready to play a football game,” Saleh said. “As far as all that other stuff is concerned, those are things I’ll leave for Joe.”

Saleh was extremely complimentary of Wilson and how he handled himself and played, but he also didn’t give a ringing endorsement about Wilson being with the Jets next season.

“Anything can happen, especially in this sport,” Saleh said. “It’s like a New York minute. It swings from one pendulum to the next. He just needs to focus on week to week, just putting his best foot forward and being the best version of him he can be.”

Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has had a rough three seasons. He was benched three different times in the past 13 months.

Saleh went back to Wilson on Sunday after his replacements, Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian, struggled worse than he did in leading the offense.

It was reported a week ago that Wilson was “reluctant” to play and risk injury when he’s no longer in the Jets’ future. He denied that and then had the most effective and efficient game of his career.

Wilson surpassed 300 yards for only the third time in 33 NFL games. He completed a career-best 75% of his passes (27-for-36) and recorded a personal-best passer rating of 117.9. He threw for 209 yards in the second half as the Jets scored all 30 of their points.

“It’s a testament to his character, how much he’s developed as a person, as a man and as a professional,” left guard Laken Tomlinson said. “I thought he handled things well. He came out last week juiced up and ready for practice, motivating guys. It showed.

He fought for us. And we fought for him too.”

This was supposed to be a redshirt year for Wilson to watch and learn from Aaron Rodgers. The Jets hoped that would help him develop into a franchise quarterback.

When Wilson got thrown back into the starting role after Rodgers tore his Achilles tendon in Week 1, it became a repeat of last year. That was, until Sunday.

“You could tell he was having fun and enjoying himself,” receiver Randall Cobb said. “I feel like that pressure that he’s been carrying, it didn’t seem to be there. It was nice to see him just playing loose and free and having fun and out there slinging it around.”

Rodgers likely will be back running the Jets’ offense next season, and the organization almost certainly will make sure they have a more experienced and proven quarterback behind him, perhaps Ryan Tannehill or Gardner Minshew.

The Jets also should draft a quarterback who can develop without the pressure and scrutiny Wilson has faced since they anointed him their franchise quarterback as a rookie.

Saleh said Wilson has his “utmost respect” for his mental toughness.

“I don’t know if I’ve seen somebody get as beat up in terms of the road he’s had to travel in the three years,” Saleh said. “It’s been rocky, there’s been a lot of adversity and he keeps bouncing back . . . He played for his teammates and he played his heart out. For him, the kid just keeps bouncing back so his resilience, he’s a very impressive man in that regard.”

SUBSCRIBE

Unlimited Digital AccessOnly 25¢for 6 months

ACT NOWSALE ENDS SOON | CANCEL ANYTIME