One of the biggest stories of the past week was the decision by the New York Jets to bench Zach Wilson. Keep in mind they selected the former BYU quarterback #2 overall last year. It is never a good sign when a team pulls the plug that fast. It speaks to how poorly he’s played in recent weeks, and matters worsened when he refused to accept responsibility following a particularly ugly loss to New England. Now the Chicago Bears are preparing to face career backup Mike White on Sunday. One person that has a unique perspective on this is Lamar Jackson.
No, not that one. The Bears’ current cornerback signed with the team earlier this year. Before that, he spent two years with the Jets in 2020 and 2021. He was there when they selected Wilson at #2 and had a front-row seat for his rookie season. As Chicago and New York prepare for Sunday, Jets media caught up with him. They asked the inevitable question regarding his thoughts on the Wilson situation. While he tried to avoid saying anything inflammatory, his words painted a clear enough picture.
The Chicago Bears should be grateful for Justin Fields.
Even before that draft, it was baffling to some how the Jets had convinced themselves Wilson was a better option than Fields. He had little big-game experience and was surrounded by maturity questions for months. The kid grew up in Utah. Asking him to handle the pressure cooker of New York felt like a dangerous gamble. All those warnings proved accurate. Wilson’s mishandling of the Patriots fiasco signaled his lack of accountability. When teammates don’t like you, and you don’t play well, your time in the NFL won’t last long.
Jackson is right about that. Mike White may not have the same talent level as Wilson, but he’s a leader that guys respect. That is enough for this Jets team. The Chicago Bears would normally applaud this situation. Facing a backup QB gives you a better chance to win. The problem is the Bears defense can’t stop anybody, and Fields is injured. New York may win regardless because they have the better roster. Sadly for them, the whiff on Wilson will likely haunt them come January.
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