We'll have to wait and see what happens with the 49ers quarterback. Sam Darnold as he enters free agency again, assuming he gets a good deal and a chance at a new job, the 49ers will have shown that they are a place for quarterbacks who were high draft picks but didn't do well in their first few seasons. The next quarterback who might be given a chance to improve with the 49ers is another Jets miss, Zach Wilson.
This is the idea from ESPN insider Jeremy Fowler, who thinks Wilson could be a backup for two of the best offensive coaches in the NFL, Sean McVay of the Rams and Kyle Shanahan.
Wilson is unhappy with the Jets and wants to leave. The owner, Woody Johnson, also wants a backup quarterback, saying, “We need a backup quarterback. We didn’t have one last year.” Woody Johnson said last month when he said, “We need a backup quarterback. We didn’t have one last year.”
(Ouch.)
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler wrote on Sunday: “The Rams and 49ers are among interesting options for quarterback Zach Wilson, who has been given permission to look for a trade from the Jets. Wilson is looking for a skilled offensive head coach and a place to improve his career. Sean McVay and Kyle Shanahan both need backup QB help right now.”
Zach Wilson Struggled in New York
The trade market for Wilson will be worth watching after his challenging and injury-filled three seasons in New York, where he was the second overall pick from BYU in 2021. It was expected that Wilson would replace Darnold, who was the third pick in the 2018 draft.
Last season, Wilson was supposed to be a backup after the Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers in the offseason, but he ended up starting when Rodgers got injured four plays into the first game.
Wilson helped the team win against the Bills when he replaced Rodgers, and had some good moments, like when he threw two touchdowns and 301 yards in a 30-6 win over the Texans, which might have been his best game.
However, Wilson struggled overall last year, as he did in the previous two seasons. The Jets were 4-7 when Wilson started games (5-7 if you count the Buffalo game), and his career record is 12-21 when he starts, with a quarterback rating of just 73.2.
There has been talk about trading Wilson since late last season, especially after coach Robert Saleh, who used to be the Jets' defensive coordinator, said in Week 18 that Wilson would have a long NFL career. When asked if that would be with the Jets, Saleh said, “We’ll see.”
San Francisco 49ers Need More Backup Quarterback Talent at a Low Price
Wilson could be a good fit for the 49ers as they adjust their quarterback group this winter. Clearly, Brock Purdy is staying, but with Darnold likely leaving, the team wants some talent behind him. Wilson has talent — the Jets have been terrible while he was there.
At the same time, the Jets have limited their options with Wilson and probably won't get much in return for him now. It's no secret that the team wants to trade him, so the 49ers might only have to give up a late-round draft pick or swap picks late in the draft.
And financially, the impact of a Wilson trade might not be significant, either. He is expected to have a cap hit of $11 million next season, with $5.5 million guaranteed, and there’s no way the 49ers would want that on their books. But the Jets would have to take on the majority of the deal, giving the 49ers a possible bargain at the position.