The New York Jets have yet to sign Zach Wilson to his rookie deal. After spending the No. 2 overall pick on him and signaling that he was the new face of the franchise, for reasons that are unclear, the front office has not been able to work out a deal with him.
Training camp commenced this past week, and is typically the case when no contractual agreement has been reached between player and team, Wilson did not lead the offense. In fact, his mother has been more active over the past month than he has been.
As of Thursday, 31 of the 32 first-round draft picks are under contract. Wilson is the lone exception.
Even if New York’s quarterback situation wasn’t so precarious heading into the new season, they’d still need a veteran behind Wilson to mentor him and serve as a backup in case he got hurt.
Nick Foles of the Chicago Bears has been mentioned as a potential option.
According to Brian Costello of the New York Post, talks between the two teams have been had.
“The Jets and Bears have had discussions, according to sources, but it seems unlikely that any deal will happen. The problem is Foles’ contract,” Costello wrote. “He is due to make $4 million this season and next. The Bears surely would have to eat some of that contract to facilitate a trade. Some may argue the Jets should wait to see if the Bears cut Foles, but that seems unlikely…”
That’s one way to celebrate a birthday. https://t.co/kR0Coa801w
— Game 7 (@game7__) July 28, 2021
Foles is due $8 million over the next two years, which is a hefty sum to pay someone who may not be able to lead an NFL offense anymore. That said, beggars can’t be choosers – and the Jets are definitely beggars right now.
Currently in training camp, the Jets’ first-team offense is being led by Mike White, a former practice squad player who has never taken a snap in an NFL game.
All signs point to the Jets probably getting something done with Wilson before the new season commences. Will they end up acquiring Foles to serve alongside him by the time that happens? Time will tell.
Related: Why The Broncos Refused To Trade For Aaron Rodgers
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
