In the wake of a humbling loss to the Jaguars on national television Dec. 22, Jets head coach Robert Saleh stepped to the podium and supported quarterback Zach Wilson.
“We’re not going to quit on him," Saleh said.
The former No. 2 overall pick will be inactive today against Seattle, as starter Mike White will attempt to lead New York toward a playoff berth beginning with a win over the Seahawks.
But Saleh’s words are indicative of the organizational view, sources say. And the team’s plans going into the offseason are slated to echo that.
Jets general manager Joe Douglas does not plan to shop Wilson this offseason, sources say. The team views Wilson as an incredibly hard worker, a good teammate and very smart. He has handled his demotions well and kept working.
As one source said simply, “He’s going to get better.”
No one can predict the future, and the NFL offseason always provides the unexpected. But this is the plan going in. And it makes plenty of sense.
Two years ago, the Jets believed Wilson was talented enough to be the No. 2 pick in the draft. Douglas, Saleh and their staffs were on board. Wilson has had plenty of hurdles, including battling accuracy issues, a slew of badly timed injuries that delayed development, and overall inconsistent play.
He also owns a winning record (5-4) as a starter.
Wilson was benched this season for White, who impressed before cracking three ribs, paving the way for Wilson to start again. In the cold and rain against the Jaguars, Wilson was 9 of 18 for 92 yards and an interception before Saleh inserted Chris Streveler for a spark.
There is also the contract situation. Wilson's four-year, $35.2 million rookie contract is fully guaranteed, including the $22.9 million signing bonus he’s already received. He is due $9.31 million over the next two years, also fully guaranteed. In order for anyone to trade for Wilson, they would have to take that on.
There is also no deadline to make a decision this offseason. The Jets can easily bring Wilson back for OTAs, minicamp and training camp to continue to develop the 23-year-old. As of now, that appears to be the direction it’s heading.
Follow Ian Rapoport on Twitter.