Well-respected NFL Network personality Brian Baldinger believes quarterback Zach Wilson could be playing for much more than just his future with the New York Jets when Wilson starts for 4-8 New York in this Sunday’s home game against the 7-5 Houston Texans.
“I feel like this is do-or-die for Zach, not just for the Jets, but for his entire career,” Baldinger said about Wilson during the latest edition of the “In the Huddle” podcast, as shared by Audacy. “So if they’re ever going to get some kind of a good performance from Zach Wilson, this is the week to do it. Just because they went back to him only because they realized they don’t have anything else. This is it.”
Wilson has been benched three times since November 2022, and ESPN stats show the 24-year-old was responsible for a league-worst 30.3 adjusted QBR. It was reported Monday he was “reluctant” to start another game for the Jets this season.
New York Giants legend Tiki Barber and former Jets quarterback Boomer Esiason were among a plethora of noteworthy individuals who criticized Wilson following Monday’s developments, and Esiason mentioned on Tuesday that people around the league “do not like” the type of attitude allegedly embraced by Wilson before he was named the starter for the Houston game.
Wilson and head coach Robert Saleh have since attempted to silence talk suggesting the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft may prefer to remain a spectator through Week 18, but it seems at least portions of Monday’s story are accurate. As for Saleh going back to Wilson, Baldinger noted that Trevor Siemian should just go “to the bus stop” after the journeyman backup failed to impress in this past Sunday’s 13-8 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
According to the Jets’ website, Saleh said on Wednesday that Wilson should be the team’s starter through the remainder of the campaign barring an injury. If Baldinger is right, Sunday’s game at MetLife Stadium could be the last time anyone sees Wilson wear a Gang Green jersey as an active participant.
