No numbers in his mind
Jets’ WR Wilson looks forward to second NFL season, new QB
During his first season in the NFL, all Garrett Wilson did was register 83 catches for 1,103 yards and four touchdowns as he won the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.
With all of his success as a rookie, there could be another level for Wilson to reach this season. If training camp and the preseason were any indications, Wilson could have a massive year with his brand-new quarterback.
However, Wilson told the media that he hasn’t set specific statistical goals for himself in 2023.
“I’ve always tried to stay away from that just because I’m confident in my ability and I know what I bring to the table,” Wilson said. “When you have a team like this and a quarterback like that and great players around you, it’s really do your job and see where you stack up.
“I’m confident if we are where we want to be in terms of making the playoffs, getting to where we want to be in the playoffs, I will be just fine. That’s always the way I looked at it and made it simple for myself. I don’t want to be chasing anything except for being great as a team and the greatness will come along with it, that’s how I feel about it.”
Wilson was the Jets’ best offensive weapon last season. But now, with Aaron Rodgers joining the Jets, many have compared Wilson to his former No. 17 with the Packers, Davante Adams, who currently plays for the Raiders.
But Wilson (6 feet tall) and Adams (6-feet-1) have similar size and the ability to get the ball at its highest point. They also can make their quarterback’s job a lot easier as they can fit the ball into tight coverages, and Wilson, along with Adams, are able to catch the ball consistently.
Wilson says after the Jets acquired Rodgers from the Packers in a trade last April, he began studying the film of Adams when he played with the Packers. He will be running the same offense as Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett, who was Green Bay’s offensive coordinator from 2019-21.
“I go back and watch the 2019, 2020 Green Bay Packers,” Wilson said. “He [Adams] was unguardable at that point, Aaron didn’t miss and the offense rolled. There were a few games they got beat, but they were impressive.
“Watching Davante because it’s all our offense, it’s exactly what we are running now. It is just easy for me to see him do it because that’s how I should try and make it look. Just knowing how great he was and seeing how he made it work because that offense is catered to a receiver.
“It looks the same until it doesn’t. As a receiver, you know that’s what you want. Every day, I’m trying to take something from those years and it’s fun to watch every time I get to go back.”
The chemistry between a quarterback and his No. 1 receiver is vital to a successful offense. Despite being out with an ankle injury during training camp, the Rodgers/Wilson connection always seemed in sync, especially during the Jets preseason finale against the Giants.
Rodgers completed three passes to Wilson for 30 yards. That included a 14-yard strike to Wilson for a touchdown in their final series of the preseason.
When Wilson missed practice time due to an ankle injury, he stayed involved with his route combinations by studying film. He also had constant communication with Rodgers, so when the two were on the field again, it would be like Wilson never missed any snaps.
“It is going to be something that I am hoping continues to develop throughout the season,” Hackett said about Wilson and Rodgers’ chemistry. “Garrett is a very unique receiver, he is learning the system and learning how Aaron sees things as much as he sees things, and Aaron gets to know how he sees things.
“It is going to be something that is going to be continuous. There has been some great opportunities, both in practice and we saw a couple in the game that were pretty spectacular. I think that is just the beginning of it.
“There is going to be some hiccups early because it is new, it is different, and everybody changes when there is 80,000 people in the stands. So, I think we are going to have to work through those things, but I am excited to see where these two go.”