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The New York Jets did not end up addressing the quarterback position in the 2023 NFL Draft.
After landing Aaron Rodgers via trade, the short-term need at QB was gone. The long-term future at the position is another question entirely but as of now, the Jets appear confident in 2021 first rounder Zach Wilson.
Having said that, they did invite a couple of undrafted arms to rookie camp, including Fordham’s Tim DeMorat and Incarnate Word’s Lindsey Scott. According to NFL Network insider Tom Pelissero, DeMorat had initially accepted the invite on April 29 but unfortunately for the Jets, plans changed on May 1.
“[The Washington] Commanders have agreed to terms with Fordham QB Tim DeMorat, per source,” ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler revealed on Monday morning. “DeMorat threw for 4,891 yards and 56 TDs for the [Fordham] Rams in 2022.” The UDFA also confirmed the news himself on his personal Twitter account, snubbing the camp invite for a contract.
Should the Jets Bring in QB Competition for Zach Wilson Long-Term?
The Jets did sign former Green Bay Packers backup Tim Boyle over the offseason, but they’ve done very little to address the quarterback position after Rodgers retires. Now, that may not be until after the 2024 season based on the veteran signal-caller’s introductory comments, but Rodgers even admitted that nothing is a certainty at this time.
That leaves the aforementioned Wilson as the future of the organization but after a catastrophic end to his second NFL campaign, many have wondered whether or not the former BYU star will ever start in New York again. The talent is there, can the confidence be restored?
Head coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas seem to think so, and with a new offensive coordinator in place, why not? Nathaniel Hackett is known for his ability to connect with players, and that was an area ex-OC Mike LaFleur seemed to struggle with.
Outside of Scott, it’s unclear if the Jets have any other potential signal-caller prospects in the organizational pipeline as of now. That’s good news for Wilson and bad news for his naysayers within the fanbase.
Zach Wilson’s Contract Could Throw Wrench in Jets’ QB Plans
Let’s say Rodgers does play two seasons with the Green & White, that presents a difficult decision for Douglas and Saleh while thinking ahead to 2025 and beyond.
The first rounder’s rookie contract extends up until the end of 2024, which could be right around the same time Rodgers retires. Keep in mind that if the Jets pick up Wilson’s fifth-year option, the organization will have to do so in May of 2024 — before the theoretical year two of Rodgers.
That’s exactly 12 months from now (May 1), and after a season of Wilson riding the bench, what a tough choice to make.
Rodgers — a childhood idol of Wilson — and the Utah native became texting buddies after the youngster got drafted in 2021. Per ESPN’s Rich Cimini on April 30, here’s what Rodgers had to say about the current situation with Wilson as his QB2:
“I think being around me and seeing how I go about my business, seeing how I lead, how I interact with the guys, I think there are some things he can pick off from that. Part of my opportunity here is to be a great mentor to him, and to teach him fundamental stuff, to allow him to be around me and, through osmosis, just pick up some things that can help him in his career. That’s what happened to me, being around Brett [Favre].”
Cimini added one closing comment from Rodgers on his friend and new teammate: “I love him, I really do. I feel like part of my role here is to help get his confidence back.”
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