Less than 18 months ago, Zach Wilson was the next great hope for the New York Jets - the man to turn around a once great NFL franchise that has become a laughing stock over the past few decades.
Drafted with the second overall pick from BYU, Wilson had been seen as one of the more talented passers entering the draft in years after dazzling at his pro workout, most notably showing off his arm strength when throwing a 70-yard bomb whilst on the move in front of Jets' general manager.
After the Jacksonville Jaguars selected Trevor Lawrence, the Jets rushed to the podium to select Wilson, just three years after selecting Sam Darnold and moving on from him after he was seen as the future of the franchise. Darnold would be traded to the Carolina Panthers, making Wilson the man.
He would make his debut against Darnold and the Panthers, and performed well despite a loss. The rest of the season would be filled with eye-catching moments, but too many inconsistencies frustrated and limited the Jets offensively.
This season, fans would have hoped for him to take the jump into being much more consistent and dependable, but it's been much of the opposite. Not only has Wilson not shown the upside which was the reason that the franchise drafted him so highly, but he's been largely incompetent, holding back the team.
After being benched for back-up Mike White, who performed admirably, Wilson's career with the Jets looked like it could be over before it begun. But an injury to White saw Wilson come back this past weekend, starting the last two games. But he hit an all-time low on Thursday night, performing so poorly that he would be boo'd by Jets fans, and benched for journeyman Chris Streveler.
Wilson is now at a crossroads, and with likely no future with the Jets, has been told he must seek a trade to try find a new situation to regain his confidence and resume his once promising career.
Speaking on FOX Sports UNDISPUTED, Shannon Sharpe said: "A change of scenery might be in order. He has lost respect for the locker room and that is hard to get back. He is only 23, so he is not a lost cause - New York just might be too much for him right now.
"The Jets did nothing when he was in the game. It's like when he is on the field, no-one thinks they have a chance. I don't think he could overcome that. He puts the ball in harms way, and his numbers are eerily similar to JaMarcus Russell (one of the biggest draft busts in NFL history). He might turn out to be an ok quarterback, but he needs to leave New York City."
