Jets trade Zach Wilson to Broncos to end failed QB tenure

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as if Brian Costello

The Zach Wilson era — or mistake — is over for the Jets.

The team agreed to trade Wilson to the Broncos on Monday.

The Jets will send seventh-round pick No. 256 to Denver and receive sixth-round pick No. 203 in the trade.

Gang Green will pay $5.5 million this season with the Broncos because of Wilson.

The move ends one of the most disappointing careers in Jets history.

The team selected Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick out of BYU in the 2021 NFL Draft, expecting him to become the franchise quarterback they’ve been trying to find for decades.

Instead, he was a disappointment on the field and unpopular with his teammates off the field and showed flashes of talent in his three seasons with the club.

The Jets went 12-21 in games started by Wilson.

He completed 57 percent (566-of-993) of his passes for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions. He rushed for 498 yards and five touchdowns and had 17 fumbles, 12 of which were lost.

Wilson started 13 games as a starter, missing time midway through the season with a knee injury.

He had some memorable games against the Titans and Buccaneers, but also had major flops, such as a four-interception game against the Patriots and a decision to try to run a quarterback scramble on the fourth against Tampa Bay.

His sophomore season was delayed by a knee injury in the preseason. He didn’t return until the fourth week in Pittsburgh, where he played well in the fourth quarter and led the Jets to a comeback victory.

But then he went three games without a touchdown before a three-interception game against the Patriots.

There were rumors that Wilson was doing extremely well in practice and clashing with offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur.

In the 2022 season, the Jets’ defense began to emerge with energy and resentment in the locker room.

In the year It ended on November 20, 2022 when the Jets lost to the Patriots 10-3.

Wilson completed 9 of 22 passes for 77 yards on the day and was sacked four times.

The Jets lost the rematch against the Patriots on May 7.

Asked after the game if he felt he led the defense, Wilson said he didn’t think so.

The show basically ended his time as a jet starter. Mike White replaced him at quarterback.

White made two more starts that season after being injured, but the Jets opted to start veteran Joe Flacco in the season that ended over a healthy Wilson.

The team moved on from Wilson through the 2023 season by trading for four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.

They considered Wilson as Rodgers’ backup, believing that a year of watching and learning from Rodgers would benefit Wilson.

In Week 1, Rodgers tore his left Achilles tendon, forcing Wilson to become the starter in a loss to the Jets.

Wilson struggled mostly as Rodgers’ replacement and after the Week 11 loss to the Bills saw Wilson go 7-of-15 for one touchdown and one interception.

The Jets returned to Wilson three weeks later against the Texans, and he had the best game of his career, going 27-of-36 for 301 yards and two touchdowns.

This comes after The Athletic reported that Wilson had refused to return to work.

A week after the Texas upset, Wilson suffered a shock loss against the Dolphins in his final game as a Jet.

He was inactive for the final three games of the season and the Jets began trying to find a trade partner. Shortly after the season ended, they authorized Wilson’s agent to seek a trade.

Wilson’s departure from the Jets is another unfortunate part of the 2021 quarterback class.

Trevor Lawrence is the only first-round quarterback expected to be with the team that drafted that class.

The 49ers traded Trey Lance to the Cowboys last year. The Patriots traded Mack Jones to the Jaguars this offseason. The Bears are expected to trade Justin Fields in the coming weeks.