It’s been a rough stretch of seasons for the New York Jets, who have been trying to climb out of NFL purgatory for a decade now. After another failed attempt in 2023 and 2024, the Aaron Rodgers era is over and Justin Fields is in at quarterback. Perhaps the biggest draw for the team, though, is someone who’s been in town to see quite a bit in just a few short years.
On a roster filled with questions, wide receiver Garrett Wilson is a known commodity. Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton is highlighting that, as he dubbed Wilson the Jets’ most promising building block in a July 5 story.
Garrett Wilson’s Accomplishments Despite Youth & Situation Are Quite Impressive
Aside from Wilson and potentially cornerback Sauce Gardner or running back Breece Hall, there isn’t much to choose from. Still, the former deserves his due props for emerging as an elite young talent in this sport.
Moton tips his cap to Wilson for already accomplishing so much amid a less than ideal set of circumstances.
“Despite the Jets’ unstable quarterback situation, Wilson racked up 1,042-plus receiving yards in each of his three seasons, catching passes from Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco, Chris Streveler, Trevor Siemian, Tim Boyle, Tyrod Taylor and Aaron Rodgers,” Moton wrote. “Wilson will reunite with his former Ohio State teammate, Justin Fields, who signed a two-year deal with the Jets. If they can rekindle chemistry from their collegiate years, Wilson could post receiving numbers that are indicative of his true production ceiling.”
Wilson’s greatness was obvious from the beginning. After being picked 10th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft, all he did was haul in 83 passes for 1,103 yards and 4 touchdowns en route to winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. The following campaign, his receptions total rose to 95 even after Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles tendon in his Jets debut.
With Rodgers back in the fold last season, Wilson turned in his best effort yet. On 14 fewer targets than the year prior, he set career-high marks for catches (101), receiving yards (1,104), touchdowns (7) and success rate (53.9%). According to Pro Football Focus, his 79.3 receiving grade was good for 23rd out of 98 qualified receivers.
No matter how you slice it, Wilson’s resume speaks for itself.
Questionable Jets Receiver Depth Should See Wilson Thrive in 2025
“I’m hopeful that I’m a Jet for life, we get this thing rolling and all of our best days are ahead of us”
– Garrett Wilson
Davante Adams
‘ stay in New York was short, so he’s no longer around to eat into Wilson’s targets. Josh Reynolds and Allen Lazard appear to be locked into a battle for the No. 2 wideout job, yet that still won’t threaten Wilson’s share much. Hall is a nice dual-threat halfback, albeit not a “carry the offense” type of one. At tight end, second-round draft pick Mason Taylor has a lot of developing to do. No one at or near the top of the depth chart on offense can sniff Wilson’s combination of floor and upside.
The rest of the receiver collective isn’t exactly inspiring, either. Names like Malachi Corley and Arian Smith, young and unproven talents, are more wild-cards than anything else. Wilson has a clear runway for a high-volume senior season in the NFL. Even with a quarterback like Fields, who’s conducive to a solid rushing attack, it’s simply a numbers game. It makes the most sense for Wilson to get fed the football.
Should that be the case, Wilson might make good on his publicly-stated goal of sticking with the Jets long-term. As things currently stand, his 2026 fifth-year option of $16.8 million is a healthy figure. It’s best for the team, however, to ensure Wilson is a member of Gang Green deep into his prime.
With that in mind, it’s fitting that he was named the club’s most promising young piece.
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