Jets Predicted to Trade Zach Wilson for New Aaron Rodgers Backup

Getty New York Jets quarterbacks Aaron Rodgers and Zach Wilson interacting during training camp.

The New York Jets might have to get creative to fill the QB2 void this offseason behind Aaron Rodgers.

Michael Ginnitti of Spotrac recently predicted that the green and white will pull off a rare QB-for-QB trade in 2024.

Washington Commanders receive: quarterback Zach Wilson and a 2024 fifth-round draft choice

New York Jets receive: quarterback Sam Howell

Howell Would Be an Intriguing QB2 Option for Jets

Ginnitti explained that the Commanders are poised to select its franchise quarterback in the first round of the upcoming 2024 NFL draft, making Howell expendable with a new regime slated to take over this offseason.

Howell, 23, is set to complete his second season when Week 18 wraps up on Sunday, January 7.

He still has two years left on his $4 million rookie contract which will keep him under team control on the cheap.

For a good chunk of this season, Howell led the entire NFL in passing yards. Although the blistering pace he was on has come to a crashing halt over the last month.

The former North Carolina product has still thrown for 3,793 passing yards, is completing 63.1% of his passes, and has a 20 touchdown to 19 interception ratio.

While the turnovers are a problem, that passing total he has achieved so far would be the No. 4 best total in Jets franchise history for a single season.

If Rodgers goes down again in 2024, the Jets need someone who is capable of maximizing the talent on the offensive side of the ball.

Howell proved this year when given the opportunity he can sling it around the football field. The alarming amount of turnovers, 19 interceptions which currently leads the league, is less than ideal but at least players like Garrett Wilson would be getting consistent opportunities to make plays with that kind of volume.

Jets Will Be Aggressive in Backup QB Market, Want to Fix Wilson Mistake

The Jets are going to acquire a new backup quarterback. It isn’t a matter of if, but rather when and who.

Connor Hughes of SNY said on X previously Twitter, “[Gardner] Minshew or [Jacoby] Brissett on a substantial contract. JD [Joe Douglas] won’t make that mistake again” in response to a fan question about who is most likely going to be the Jets backup quarterback next year.

When the Jets selected Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the first round in 2021 he didn’t face legitimate competition for the starting gig. Gang Green handed him the QB1 job on a silver platter and didn’t think twice.

The results were uneven to say the least.

This season both Douglas and head coach Robert Saleh admitted that they should have brought in a veteran quarterback at the time so they could bring Wilson along slowly.

That milk is already spilled. There is nothing the Jets can do now for that Wilson mistake, but they can make sure it doesn’t happen again in the future.

Hughes said on social media that he could see the Jets giving a guy a chance “to learn behind Rodgers for 2 years — [a] luxury Zach didn’t have.”

Whether that is Howell or a young player on day three of the draft, the Jets are going to bring someone in to learn under Rodgers. He plans on being here for multiple years, but the Jets have to prepare for the worst case scenario just in case he isn’t.