Bigger NFL Bust: Zach Wilson Or Trey Lance

Second and third. The New York Jets selected Zach Wilson second overall with their first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. The very next pick, the San Francisco 49ers would trade up with the Miami Dolphins to select Trey Lance third overall. Two years later and neither is starting this season for either team. As a matter of fact, the Jets have traded out to acquire a future Hall of Fame QB, Aaron Rodgers, to get the job done. The 49ers are relying on Mr. Irrelevant from the 2022 NFL Draft to lead their team and I’m not sure which is worse.

Being replaced by a future Hall of Fame QB just shows that a team is willing to do what it takes to get to the Super Bowl. Too bad for Wilson, those plans don’t really require his presence. While the Jets haven’t completely given up on Wilson, they very well could. Rodgers has a two-year deal in place which conveniently lines up with about the time the Jets could save money by cutting their former #2 pick. If they’re going to start over, it might just be a clean slate. The team could also pick up an option for Rodgers to play in 2025 allowing them more time to find a replacement.

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Trey Lance, on the other hand, isn’t just being beaten out by the former Mr. Irrelevant, he’s also losing out to journeyman QB Sam Darnold. Darnold had a promising career early on, but now is enjoying his role as a backup traveling QB. Lance has now fallen to third on the depth chart. The real problem here is that Lance is in an offense that seems very few QBs struggle for success. So if Trey is falling down the depth chart in a QB-friendly offense, then HC Kyle Shanahan can say he might have a spot later on, but I wouldn’t bet on it. Blame injuries all you want but that is a huge red flag on the young quarterback.

In that same draft, the Jets and 49ers could’ve had Jaylen Waddle, Kyle Pitts, Patrick Surtain II, DeVonta Smith, or Ja’Marr Chase to name a few. Those guys are making huge contributions to their team while these two QBs are sitting out, carrying the clipboards for an almost 40-year-old future HoF’er and a guy all 32 teams passed on multiple times. It’s not the first time teams have whiffed on QBs and it won’t be the last, but it just goes to show how easily teams overlook star players in search of finding the right fit at QB in the NFL.