This season has featured a slow start for New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson, who has 20 catches for 191 yards and a touchdown on 34 targets through four games. He’s on pace for 764 receiving yards after eclipsing 1,000 yards each of his first two seasons.
During an appearance on the Bart & Hahn ESPN New York radio show, Wilson didn’t appear pleased with the current state of the Jets offense, lamenting the lack of creativity relative to the rest of the league. ESPN’s Rich Cimini relayed the quotes.
“I don’t think we do a lot of different stuff to be honest. I watch football on Sundays and I see a lot of teams mix it up and stuff like that. I don’t think we do that. I think we know our identity. It’s just about going out and executing it or figuring out if it’s going to work. I don’t think we’re trying a lot of different things.
“I know, personally, my route tree hasn’t been what it has been the last two years as far as the stuff I’ve been running. It’s just about figuring out if it’s the right identity and whether it’s going to win games.”
The Jets’ offense is run by coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who once had great success with New York quarterback Aaron Rodgers when the two were together in Green Bay (2019-2021). The two haven’t found that same success yet this year in New York, with the team’s average of 19.0 points per game only good enough for 21st in the NFL.
The offense’s low point occurred in a 10-9 loss to the Denver Broncos on Sunday. On a rainy and sloppy day, the Jets failed to get in the end zone, and running back Breece Hall rushed for just four yards on 10 carries. Wilson also failed to eclipse 60 receiving yards for the fourth straight game.
The Jets clearly have work to do on that end, based on the on-field product. But Wilson venting his frustrations publicly about the offense’s direction clearly indicate that not everyone is on the same page.
At any rate, the Jets don’t have much time to figure it out. Their next three games are against the 4-0 Minnesota Vikings, 3-1 Buffalo Bills and 3-1 Pittsburgh Steelers. The Vikings are fourth in scoring defense, and Pittsburgh is second. Ultimately, something needs to change for New York to get the offense going, especially with stiff challenges looming large.
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