18 August 2023 , 10:13
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New York Jets head coach Robert Saleh has spoken glowingly about quarterback Zach Wilson.
The former second-overall draft pick looks to be turning his career around this off-season, after being humbled last year when he was replaced by both career back-up quarterbacks Mike White and Chris Streveler - while set to be the back-up himself this season.
The Jets traded for Aaron Rodgers earlier this off-season - one of the greatest quarterbacks of this generation who still plays at an extremely high level.
That will see Wilson be relegated to a back-up role, after his poor play and attitude left some worrying whether he'd ever make it in the NFL.
But after glowing reports throughout training camp, Wilson has played excellently in the Jets' two preseason games - with his head coach speaking very highly of him and his future.
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Saleh told reporters: "His growth has been phenomenal and the confidence at which he’s just letting the ball rip. He’s playing without fear. He’s letting the bad plays go.
"He’s always had really good command of the huddle and getting plays in and out of his mouth and him making sure everyone’s on the same page, but the nuances, the ball handling, all the little details of his game have just kind of elevated.
Saleh speaks with Zach Wilson, who could be back in as Jets starter should Rodgers retire after this season"Credit to him, he’s just absorbing all this information and just learning so freaking much. I give him so much credit because it’s already hard enough to be asked to do what he’s doing and to do it with the openness that he’s been doing it and the way he’s attacked it.
"He’s going to be in this League for a long time and he’s going to start for a long time, and it’s a really a credit to him the way he’s attacked this."
On one touchdown that Wilson had thrown against the Carolina Panthers last week, he looked like a mirror image of Rodgers when he executed one of his most popular plays.
These last two preseason games will likely be the only football Wilson plays this season with Rodgers set to be the man to help them compete for a Super Bowl. But if the quarterback does miss time, the 24-year-old has shown he can lead the offense comfortably - while still having the talent that saw him become a first-round pick two years ago.