Not even a Super Bowl winner could entice the Jets to get off the Zach Wilson rollercoaster.
The Jets declined to offer a contract last week to then-free-agent quarterback Carson Wentz, whose reps “checked in” with Gang Green following a crushing 27-6 loss to the Chargers on “Monday Night Football” in Week 9, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Sunday.
You are reading: Jets decided against Carson Wentz contract offer despite Zach Wilson’s struggles
Wentz “had been on the Jets’ short list of potential free-agent QBs” after Aaron Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury in September, according to the report, which ultimately paved the way for Wilson, 24, to start.
“The thinking was if the team lost faith in Wilson, it could sign Wentz to be an option to start,” the report noted.
Despite the offense’s ongoing struggles, the Jets have remained steadfast in their support of Wilson, who has thrown five touchdowns against five interceptions this year.
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Wentz, who has not played a snap this season following his release from the Commanders in February, signed with the Rams on Tuesday instead.
He will serve as starting quarterback Matthew Stafford’s backup.
Selected second overall by the Eagles in 2016, the 30-year-old Wentz competed at a Pro Bowl level in 2017, with the Eagles capturing their first-ever championship despite the quarterback being sidelined with a torn ACL.
As he struggled to regain that form, Wentz was later traded to the Colts in 2021 before landing in Washington the following year.
As Wentz heads to Los Angeles in the hopes of a career revamp, Wilson and the Jets will be in nearby Las Vegas, where they’re seeking their fifth win of the season in a “Sunday Night Football” matchup against the Raiders.
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Head coach Robert Saleh said last week the Jets’ struggles go beyond Wilson.
“If it was just him, that would be worth discussing,” Saleh said. “This is a collective issue that we all need to get on the same page with.”
Wilson, the Jets’ second-overall pick in 2021, hopes to give Jets fans something to believe in.
“I want them to know that I’m doing everything I absolutely can to be the best quarterback I can be, to help us get to the playoffs, and more. That’s all I want them to know is we’re fighting,” he said.
The Jets (4-4) are currently on the outside looking in at the AFC playoff picture.