The Jets have formally entered rebuilding mode after buying and selling away Sauce Gardner and Quinnen Williams.
Garrett Wilson was teammates with Gardner and Williams for the previous 4 seasons.
However at 1-7, coach Aaron Glenn and normal supervisor Darren Mougey try to show round a franchise that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2010 and has not completed with a profitable file since 2015. Wilson says he’s assured within the plan Glenn and Mougey have for the Jets group.
“I gotta do my job,” Wilson advised reporters on Thursday. “I get paid to catch passes, block, help my teammates out, and make plays. They get paid to do that… I’m gonna go play football and I’m excited, man. I’m excited to go at this thing and they have a vision. Like I said, I don’t get paid to have a vision. They do it. And, you know, they got one. And I got to trust them, man. I do.”
Whereas Wilson was not a fan of the 2 trades, he understands the enterprise of the NFL.
“Yeah, my emotions, my emotions, like that side of it, I hate it. I hate it,” Wilson stated. I play soccer, I play with my brothers, I get to know my brothers. I hate it. However, however, you already know, I’m paid to play soccer.
“No one cares if I hate it. Go catch a ball. That’s how I see it and that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna do my job to the best of my abilities, so that stuff like that. They feel like they can keep us all together, because that’s the reality of this thing. You don’t win games. You know, things change.”
Contemplating their file, the Jets have been out of playoff competition even earlier than their bye in Week 9. So, Glenn and Mougey determined to spend money on draft capital for the long run by buying and selling two of the Jets’ greatest defensive gamers. Gardner was traded to the Colts for 2 first-round picks (2026 and 2027) together with extensive receiver Adonai Mitchell. The Jets additionally dealt Williams to the Cowboys in change for a 2026 second-round choose, a 2027 first-round choose and defensive deal with Mazi Smith.
Gang Inexperienced has a mixed 5 first-round picks within the subsequent two drafts, which provides them flexibility to both draft a franchise quarterback for the long run or commerce for a veteran quarterback on one other group. However that’s not going to assist Wilson and the Jets win video games in 2025.
Wilson and Gardner share a particular bond after they have been each chosen by the Jets within the first spherical of the 2022 NFL Draft inside hours of one another. They every received the Offensive and Defensive Rookie of the 12 months awards in 2022, and each obtained contract extensions in July forward of coaching camp.
“I mean, it’s gonna be an adjustment for me,” Wilson stated. “I’m sure he’s going through it down in Indy. It’s a game of change.”
Since he was drafted in 2022, Wilson has been probably the most productive Jets gamers. In his first three seasons, Wilson has averaged 93 receptions for 1,083 yards and 4.7 touchdowns throughout that point.
Nonetheless, Wilson missed the earlier two video games on account of a knee harm he suffered in the course of the Jets’ sport in opposition to the Broncos in London. He watched from his dwelling in New Jersey because the Jets secured their first win of the season in opposition to the Bengals on October 26, after the group began 0-7.
“I felt like, watching them overcome, you know, just what they went through early in the game,” Wilson stated concerning the 15-point comeback victory. You recognize, I really feel just like the offense was rolling.
“For me, that’s all I really wanted to see. Just offense rolling, operating, and they were, and J. [Justin] Fields back in the home state, not in home state, but Ohio, doing what he loves, man. You know, honestly, I kind of expected him to ball out like they did. I can’t lie. I thought it was all gonna come together that week and it did.”
Wilson returned to follow on Wednesday for the primary time in three weeks, albeit on a restricted foundation. Though Glenn hasn’t introduced if he’ll play in opposition to the Browns on Sunday, Wilson says he will probably be able to go.
“Stuff like this, you know, keeps me up,” Wilson stated. And granted, I stayed away from that, however the issues that I believed initially, that first day, I stayed away from the tip. I’m grateful for it.
“I never been injured in my whole career, man. Maybe it was good for me to realize that you ain’t gonna be out there every week, go about it the right way, every place, super important. Maybe I was taking it for granted a little bit, you know? I’m back to my old ways. I’m excited to go back out there.”
