Maybe no one was more excited about Aaron Rodgers’ return than Garrett Wilson, the third-year wide receiver who had to play with seven different quarterbacks over the first two seasons of his NFL career but still managed to surpass 1,000 yards in each of his first two seasons in the league. Rodgers’ return in 2024 was expected to spark a stagnant NY Jets offense and infuse new life into a number of key skill players.
With Rodgers hitting passes to Wilson, it was thought that the sky was the limit. However, Wilson hasn’t produced the astounding results that many had anticipated him to through three weeks.
Not that he hasn’t been good. Wilson leads the Jets in receiving yards—albeit by just two yards over Allen Lazard—and is ranked second in catches within the club, trailing only Breece Hall. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Wilson and Rodgers still haven’t settled into a rhythm.
After the Jets defeated the New England Patriots in Week 3 on Thursday Night Football, Rodgers made an admission on the team’s offensive future.
NY Jets hoping for special Aaron Rodgers-Garrett Wilson connection
In comparison to previous years, the Jets’ offense has experienced significant success in the first three weeks of the season. After three weeks, the Jets have already scored nine touchdowns on offense. In 2023, it took them 11 weeks to equal that sum.
But Wilson is off to an unusually poor start while Rodgers and the Jets’ offense continue to shine. This season, he is expected to catch 85 passes for 850 yards, which would be the least productive year of his NFL career thus far.
Naturally, the sample size is small, but Wilson hasn’t gained more over 60 yards in a game this year. That’s a far way from the kind of productivity that many were hoping for in terms of Offensive Player of the Year.
The Jets’ offense’s use of supplemental weapons has contributed to some of this. Wilson and Hall are no longer required to dominate touches for the Jets. Players like Lazard, Mike Williams, Tyler Conklin, and Braelon Allen are all helping to Rodgers’ passing of the ball around.
It’s also important to note that through three games, Wilson has been covered by three of the NFL’s top cornerbacks: Christian Gonzalez, L’Jarius Sneed, and Charvarius Ward, who have all shadowed him in recent weeks.
Nevertheless, there’s currently something strange about the Rodgers-Wilson relationship. Once more, they’ve connected on several noteworthy plays; on Thursday night, Wilson scored Rodgers’ first touchdown to record his first touchdown.
However, it may be improved. The special bond between Aaron Rodgers and Wilson is well-known to everyone who witnessed Rodgers toss passes to Davante Adams for a significant portion of his career.
