Over the weekend, NFL Media posted a report suggesting that the Jets and receiver Garrett Wilson might be headed for a split, if quarterback Aaron Rodgers returns for a third season.
On Wednesday, Wilson pushed back on the idea that he and Rodgers are at odds.
“Yeah, I’ve seen some of that,” Wilson said, via Rich Cimini of ESPN.com. “Yeah, I mean, there’s no truth to that. At the end of the day, I don’t speak on things like that because social media is not real.”
But the suggestion of an issue with Rodgers didn’t originate on social media. It came from the website owned and operated by the NFL and its 32 teams, including the Jets.
“This is my first time addressing it,” Wilson said. “That stuff is just words for people trying to figure out a way to divide us more than they’ve already tried, like the record isn’t enough. Obviously, we’ve got a lot going on here, especially this season, trying to dig ourselves out of this hole. Unfortunately, we weren’t able to. But my feet are where my feet are at, and I’m going to try and finish this thing the right way.”
The fact remains that Wilson becomes eligible for a second contract after Sunday’s season-ending game against the Dolphins. At that point, the new regime will have to decide what to do about Wilson’s contract.
Because Wilson was a first-round pick in 2022, the Jets will have until early May 2025 to decide whether to pick up his fifth-year option. In recent years, high-end first-round receivers like Justin Jefferson and Ja’Marr Chase didn’t get new deals after three seasons.
That will make it easier for the new G.M. and new coach, whoever they might be, to see what happens in 2025 before making a decision about Wilson in 2026. Still, if the new regime is inclined to keep Rodgers, it will make sense to have a candid conversation with Wilson as to whether bringing Rodgers back will potentially drive Wilson away.
