Zach Wilson going through growing pains with a purpose

Zach Wilson is going through a serious adjustment period in his first training camp with the New York Jets. However, the second overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft has a purpose for everything he’s doing.

“I can’t be afraid to make mistakes, especially in practice. This isn’t a game. This is where I’m learning what I can get away with and what I can’t,” Wilson said, per New York Daily News. “There’s times when maybe in a real game I probably wouldn’t throw that. But it’s times when I’m like, ‘Let me try right here and see what I can get away with.’ C.J. got a hand on the play so it’s like, ‘Okay well next time in that situation, that same look, I’m gonna check the ball down. And that’s what we practice for, to  be able to play situations out like that.”

While his struggles have been documented throughout training camp, Wilson’s mental fortitude is impressive for a young quarterback. Instead of putting everything into making an impression in practice, the former BYU Cougar is pushing the envelope to improve his in-game play.

Famously, Wilson shot up draft boards following a stellar season at BYU. Prior to that, he wasn’t even in consideration to be a first round pick in the NFL Draft, a far cry from going second overall behind Trevor Lawrence.

What’s Wilson working on in training camp?

As the season draws near, Wilson is the presumed starter for the Jets opening game against the Carolina Panthers. Prior, he’s working on how to improve when the defense takes away his first option.

“Part of what we’re all getting better at is when they take something away,” Wilson said. “How quickly can I move on to the next? How quickly can I progress? … That’s what’s cool about the pier progressions,” he said of reading the defense side to side. “You kind of have options no matter what the defense gives you. And it’s how quickly can I just work through those.”

Finally, it’s all about getting better for the rookie quarterback. Wilson doesn’t care about how many touchdowns or interceptions he has throughout training camp, he’s solely focused on getting better each day. 

“We’re not competing to win a game or anything in practice because there’s all different situations we plan for,” Wilson said. “So, you can’t really grade stats or the touchdowns or how many yards because every play is really kind of what we’re grading. We’re kind of grading like, ‘how did we do on that one play?’ … You don’t look at the whole practice and say ‘How was practice today?’ It’s like ‘How did I do on some of these plays and what plays can I get better at?’”

“He’s in a great space mentally.”

In addition, Jets head coach Robert Saleh mentions that he’s been impressed with the  rookie quarterback’s ability to learn. In a day-in-age where rookies can lose confidence in an instant, Wilson is letting things roll off his back. 

“He’s in a great space mentally, he’s learning every single day,” Saleh said. “He wanted to see if he could get that thrown behind C.J. Mosley’s right ear, couldn’t do it. And he said, ‘I saw the checkout.’ So, he knows. He’s in such a great place.”

The New York Jets are elated to have Zach Wilson on their team. With his combination of athletic gifts and mental fortitude, he could finally be the franchise quarterback they’ve been wishing for.

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