After spending years in the weeds, putting up big numbers while having to catch passes from the likes of Zach Wilson, Garrett Wilson has been gifted with half a season of QB play from future Hall of Famer Aaron Rodgers as the Jets starter.
Surely this would unlock an even higher ceiling for Wilson, right? He’d get better balls, take advantage of more aggressive down-field play-calling, and go off in a massive way without having to constantly turn nothing into something after the catch.
On paper, yes, Wilson is averaging the most yards per game of any point in his career, holding strong with an 11.1 yards per reception average while averaging 1.1 more receptions per game. But life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for the pride of OSU in New York, as there are challenges presented by playing with Rodgers that he didn’t expect, as Wilson explained in an appearance on Cleats & Convos.
Garrett Wilson notes the challenges of playing with Aaron Rodgers
Discussing how Rodgers approaches an offense specifically before he snaps the ball, Wilson noted just how challenging it can be to keep up with what he’s calling out before the play begins, which is unlike any other quarterback he’s worked with.
“The pre-snap stuff is the main thing, bro. I’m still working on this; I’m still missing plays in the game where we try to take advantage of a look and to be honest, it’s a lot, it’s really a lot. You always got to have your eye on the quarterback,” Wilson said on Cleats & Convos. “I don’t know if y’all do that, but like I’m used to looking at the ball. You’ve got the cans but not really a can, him giving a signal, and there’s a hundred of them, bro, fifty or sixty that all got a different… You kind of think more, and it might slow you down a little bit sometimes. I caught myself false starting and stuff. There’s been some things that I’ve had to work through and I’m still working on.”
Goodness, no wonder the Jets was having issues earlier in the season with Rodgers’ pre-snap calls and why the front office brought in players like Aaron Lazard and DaVante Adams, who already understand the assignment. While Wilson has clearly made it work, as he’s on pace for a career-high 1,250 receiving yards and a surefire spot in the Pro Bowl, when even one of the truly elite young wide receivers is “missing plays” because he can’t follow what’s going on in the seconds before a snap, that’s probably not a good thing for a team’s ceiling.
