Honestly who would give up anything for this dude - let alone pay the 5.5MM or 11mm cap hit or whatever it is to take him under his rookie contract. presume we are going to have to cut him and take the hit. he's an atrocity.
Just read this from Joe Rivera: "The 49ers and Kyle Shanahan were rumored to be hot after Zach Wilson during the 2021 NFL Draft. Instead, they ended up with the No. 3 overall pick and took Trey Lance, a decision that … didn't exactly work out for anyone involved. The 49ers may have found their QB of the future with Brock Purdy, but as Shanahan's 49ers squads have discovered in recent years, QB2 – or QB3 – is crucially important, too. Wilson heading to the Niners to back up Purdy and give Shanahan a QB he reportedly wanted in the draft as a reclamation project may have its long-term benefits." Probably BS, but at least its something.
I think SF would be the best possible career outcome for Zach. And maybe they do it if the kickback from us saves them some money at BU QB. Honestly I'd take the odds on Shanahan being able to mold Zach into a respectable backup QB type over what we have going on for 2024. But Shanahan also kinda walks on my water in my head. To the point I see people wanting a guy like Aiyuk here and it's like...you realize you'd be paying for a completely different and lesser version of that player minus Shanahan, right?
I'm sure the Jets were part of the problem. That said, Zach played worse than Sam despite being in a better situation. And it isn't like Sam has lit the world on fire since leaving the Jets.
I could also see the Rams as another spot that makes sense. Stafford is 36 so the Rams may take a chance on Wilson as a possible replacement once he retires. Zach could be the backup there in the meantime. Also, McVay is a good offensive minded coach that could help Wilson turn his career around.
Well in all fairness there we traded him to perhaps the only other team in the league that can probably rival ourselves today on complete offensive dysfunction. Who now are already in the process of ruining another lottery ticket QB of their own.
The Lafleur factor though. Zach Wilson cost LaFleur his job here in NY with his best friend. Now he's the Rams OC I dont see a ringing endorsement coming if/when the Rams ask him about Wilson I personally like the idea of using Zach Wilson with possibly some other pieces to upgrade the backup QB position. Something like Wilson and a late rounder to Washington for Howell or to Las Vegas for Garappolo
I could see that happening. I think the posters who say that no one will want Wilson are just overreacting because he struggled so much here. While it's understandable, they're ignoring his arm talent, athleticism, and the fact that he's still only 24. Shanahan, Reid, and McVay are 3 coaches whom I think could definitely fix Zach if he's fixable, although with LaFleur there with McVay, that might not be able to happen unless LaFleur has learned a lot in a year and grown up.
Yeah I'd like them with McVay too. Baltimore is another well run organization where I think he'd maybe be worth the flyer look. Generally speaking I think people routinely underestimate just how much of an impact getting drafted into a better run franchise from the jump can have on a QB's outlook and career arch. To such an extent where I genuinely believe if you draft Lamar on to the Bears and Justin Fields to Baltimore there is a really good chance they basically end up sitting here today having essentially swapped places on how they get viewed as individual QB assets. Not that i think Zach has the makeup to ceiling out as anything more then a a better backup type mind you. Just that it shouldn't surprise anybody when he ends up looking like a more competent player with an even half way competent support system.
We should have never drafted him. It was Justin Fields OR trade the bleeping pick to SanFran for the haul they paid plus even more (#2 vs. #3 overall). If we had taken Fields, we probably make the playoffs the last 2 years. He's a VOLATILE player at QB but he gives you enough, plus his running, that we would have likely made the playoffs both years. Instead of a bull**** story of gossip and "anonymous sources" like TheAthletic gave us....maybe some of these reporters can tell us what the hell the Jets were thinking -- and yeah, it's a LEGITIMATE 2nd-guess (I pleaded to trade the pick and keep Darnold, if not take Fields) -- when they decided a guy who was 3rd on the BYU depth chart a year earlier and then played before glorified HS teams in front of Covid Cardboard Cutouts....was ready to play in the NY market. Debacle. I blame the ENTIRE organization.
I hope Zach goes to a team with a competent CS that knows how to coach QBs and build offenses, then we'll be able to see how much of this was Zach and how much it was the Jets. I haven't changed my opinion that regardless of Zach's shortcomings, much of his failure here was the Jets. Even if you don't want to believe that's true, consider that the Jets have failed to develop a QB in decades. Why? Because they've always focused on defense instead of offense. Both Zach and Sam were screwed by the Jets. Until they prove they can identify and develop a QB they have no business drafting a first (or even second) round QB.
I think somebody will bite for a Day 3 swap or a Day 3 straight up if we're lucky. Just takes one team to think the Jets mishandled him and he can be a reclamation project. I'll be curious if he ends up as a backup, 3rd string or on a practice squad.
If true, it tells me that the 49ers front office can’t scout QBs- of the three QBs they took or had interest in, the only one whose worth anything is the one they drafted to be a backup.
