Garrett Wilson says he doesn't want to be traded but wants the Jets to win
The Jets receiver said Wednesday he wants to stay in New York, but his frustration over targets and losses has fans wondering how long that holds.
Wilson clears the air
Garrett Wilson told reporters Wednesday he doesn't want to be traded, but he also made clear he's frustrated, both by how little he's being used and by how much the Jets are losing. The timing put his name in front of anyone paying attention to the Nov. 10 trade deadline.
"Yeah, I want to be here, man," Wilson said. "I want to win games and that's the one thing we've been missing on here." He added that he loves being a Jet, but when asked straight up if he loves it more than winning, he said no, he's just trying to stay hopeful.
Three targets and a sideline that noticed
The frustration showed up on tape before it showed up in his comments. Wilson was visibly upset on the sideline in the fourth quarter of the Jets' 28-25 loss to the previously winless Dolphins. He finished that game with three targets, two catches, 26 yards. The week before, he was a nonfactor against the Patriots.
Wilson didn't dodge the question of whether the losing eats at him more than the lack of targets. "No doubt, no doubt," he said. "I'd be lying if I said it's not, but at the end of the day it comes down to winning and losing." He said when things go well he tends to have a part in it, and when they don't, it feels avoidable.
The money and the Sauce Gardner precedent
Wilson signed a four-year, $130 million contract extension through 2030, and there's no indication the Jets are shopping him. But Jets fans have seen this movie. The team traded cornerback Sauce Gardner at last year's deadline not long after he signed his own four-year, $120 million extension.
Since the Jets took Wilson with the No. 10 pick in 2022, the franchise is 24-41. He leads the team with 37 receptions and 444 yards this season, which is 2-5. Wilson, 26, said he doesn't want any of this to be read as him wanting out. "I don't want it to ever be misconstrued," he said. "This all comes from a place in my heart of wanting to win."
What the coaches say, and what's next
Coach Aaron Glenn has repeatedly said the plan is to get Wilson the ball early and often. Offensive coordinator Frank Reich and quarterback Geno Smith have said the same thing. "I'm looking to get him the football as much as I can, but I have to be mindful of what the defense is doing as well," Smith said.
The coaches believe defenses are rolling extra coverage toward Wilson, which opens things up for the rest of the passing game, at least in theory. The Jets host the Raiders, who are 3-4, this Sunday. Whatever happens between now and Nov. 10 will say more about where Wilson stands than anything said at a podium this week.
Facts per ESPN. Opinion is the taproom's.