Zach Wilson trade value: Exploring potential package Jets could receive for QB this offseason

Zach Wilson's stick has fallen dramatically over the time he has been in the NFL with the New York Jets. Ever since he was picked in the first round as the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, the pressure has been on him to deliver and he has not succeeded.

He has not been helped by the constantly fluid situation at the Jets, where the franchise seems to veer from one crisis to another. But last season it saw him lose his starting spot to Aaron Rodgers, after New York decided to trade for the future Hall-of-Famer from Green Bay.

He was still retained as a backup but got an opportunity to become the starter again after the former Packers star went down injured in the very first drive of his Jets career. But he failed to grab the opportunity and ended up with eight touchdowns and seven interceptions over the entire season.

Zach Wilson's time with the Jets, therefore, looks to be done and they will be willing to entertain trade offers. General Manager Joe Douglas has confirmed as much. If that does go through, and given Zach Wilson's record so far, this is best they can expect:

Projected trade package for Zach Wilson: Conditional 7th-round pick, rising to 6th, if he plays more than a certain percentage of snaps

What if the Jets keep Zach Wilson?

Zach Wilson is a former first-round pick. But he is unlikely to fetch a high trade compensation because of his NFL record so far. In three years, he has a 12-21 starting record, which has included just 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.

Given that, New York might decide not to trade Wilson and wait for better compensation. The original idea was that by letting the BYU graduate sit behind Aaron Rodgers, the younger player would develop skills for the future. Then when the veteran steps away after a couple of years, the young player would come in and provide a seamless transition.

That remains true even now. Zach Wilson, however, did not have a turn to learn behind Aaron Rodgers because the latter's injury in his very first game for the Jets. Instead, he was thrown into the firepits immediately.

But there were subtle signs of improvement. The Jets quarterback outfought Patrick Mahomes and their offense when they came to the MetLife Stadium. He also showed better composure in pocket throughout the season.

If Wilson can sit behind and glean ideas from Rodgers for a full year, maybe then he will know enough to improve his resume and become an answer to a quarterback-needy team. The Jets might also get a better deal out of that and get a higher pick in the next draft that can help them rebuild other parts of the team.