Jets Bench Quarterback Wilson

In a shocking turn of events, the New York Jets are making a quarterback change. At a team meeting Wednesday morning, Jets coaches informed their players that second-year quarterback Zach Wilson will not start Sunday's game against the Chicago Bears. ESPN's Adam Schefter broke the news.

Breaking: During a team meeting minutes ago, Jets players were informed that Zach Wilson is not starting Sunday's game vs. the Chicago Bears, sources tell ESPN.

Wilson — who had a 5-2 record as a starting QB this season, with both losses coming vs. the Pats — is being benched. pic.twitter.com/fdl3mBmIHq

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) November 23, 2022

Wilson was truly, deeply awful against the New England Patriots in Week 11, netting 44 passing yards on 26 dropbacks and throwing multiple near picks in a 10-3 loss. He was similarly terrible against the Patriots in Week 8, throwing three interceptions and managing a 64.6 passer rating in a 22-17 loss.

Regardless of his ugly play, Wilson's benching is a surprisingly aggressive move for the Jets. The young passer won all five of his starts outside of the two losses to the Patriots, though a discerning eye would recognize the Jets were winning in spite of their young passer. He has averaged a mere 165 net passing yards per start this season at a middling 5.63 net yards per attempt. At 6-4, the Jets appear to be prioritizing their season over their quarterback's development.

Wilson initially joined the Jets as their second-overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft after three impressive years at BYU. He has yet to find his footing in the pros, compiling only 3613 passing yards and a 70.7 passer rating across 20 appearances with the Jets while taking 60 sacks and throwing 16 interceptions. If he doesn't make his way back into the starting lineup and play effectively soon, he is on his way to becoming one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory.

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