Taking over Aaron Rodgers was no small feat for Zach Wilson. The New York Jets’ dream to end the playoff drought seemed impossible after A-Rod was sidelined. But Wilson has helped the team pick up the desired momentum. His teammate recently revealed that the new leadership has been fruitful and the locker room has already started to see Rodgers in the young QB.
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In an interview with the Jets Press, punter Thomas Morstead commended Wilson as the ideal replacement for Aaron Rodgers. While doubts loomed over the team’s 2023 season, according to Morstead, The Jets are undeniably on the right path.
Zach Wilson’s Progress in Mere Weeks Shocks Teammate
The Green Gang has already seen a huge improvement this year, defeating the AFC powerhouse, the Bills, and almost defeating the defending champs, the Chiefs. Notably, they triumphed over the undefeated NFC frontrunners, the Eagles, all while missing Aaron Rodgers. Morstead praised Wilson for his progress and expressed how he sees a reflection of Rodgers in him.
Morstead expressed, “I see things all the time during practice, or even sometimes during games, where I’m like ‘That looks like something Aaron [Rodgers] would have done right there.’ [Zach Wilson]’s learning, and I think he’s up to the challenge. The guys believe in him. We’re sitting in a good position right now.“
The situation of Wilson stepping into Rodgers’ shoes was quite unexpected, as the original plan was for him to learn from the best for a few years. However, duty called, and the young QB stepped up admirably, ranking 10th in completion percentage among all quarterbacks for over three weeks. Impressively, he committed just one turnover in a game against the Broncos, where the Jets emerged victorious.
Morstead, who has witnessed Wilson’s journey from his draft days, expressed his surprise at the improvement over the years. Notably, Head Coach Robert Saleh also had nothing but praise for the young QB.
Robert Saleh Commands Wilson’s Progress
During a recent interview on the Rich Eisen Show, Head Coach Robert Saleh lauded his offense for providing formidable competition to the league’s top contenders. He also added how the Jets managed to get into the red zone nine times in the last two weeks, despite facing the most ruthless defenses.
He further elaborated by saying, “The negative is, we haven’t been able to punch the goal line and get it across for touchdown. But we are getting there. And, we are that close. We just gotta stick to it, have faith in one another, and keep plugging away.“
Saleh further emphasized Zach Wilson‘s commitment to continual learning and growth within the game. Collaborating with the team’s offensive coordinator, Nathaniel Hackett, they’ve orchestrated plays that even Aaron Rodgers hadn’t executed. He also added that Wilson has a lot to learn, and will surely fill Rodgers’ shoes in the coming future.
