Wilson also had good words to pass on about the Jets’ redesigned WRs room that includes free agents Tyler Johnson and Josh Reynolds and holdover Allen Lazard, who bring “major vet energy” to the room, and young returnees Xavier Gipson — who Wilson said “had a great day” at Wednesday’s practice — and Malachi Corley.
“It’s cool to see,” he said. “We’ve got a good group and we’ll keep coming along, for sure.”
Some may think Wilson has a song in his heart these days because it’s 2025, not ’24. Some comments he made last year, some on-field body language and exchanges led observers to think he might not want to stick around with the Jets when his rookie contract expires after next season.
But Wilson is a complex, thoughtful young man. He said before and explained again that “unhappier” moments were not related to Aaron Rodgers or Wilson’s role in the offense. It was more a matter of 7-10, 7-10 and 5-12, his team’s records in his three seasons wearing green and white.
“No matter how bad it might seem, how ugly my face might look at that moment, it’s a blessing to do what I do and to have another opportunity to make right on what we did, what I did last year,” he said. “I wasn’t unhappy — I feel I’ve been saying this a lot. As far as being a competitor and how it may look when I’m out there when we’re down a couple of points, I’ve got to keep working on that because I realize it can be perceived a certain way.
“But I’m excited to be out here because this team believed in me initially, they still believe in me. And we have the opportunity to do something special. We’ve got as good a chance as any other team in the league. Everyone starts with a blank slate. No one cares what you did last year. It’s our job to kind of make right on it and I’m excited about that.”
And the happy tune Wilson can hear these days will turn into a Verdi aria if his reunion with Fields and the new culture that Glenn and the Jets are just setting to work on pay dividends and enable him to equal or exceed his career highs last season of 101 catches, 1,104 yards and 7 touchdowns. Those developments could lead to him signing a rewarding second pro contract with the team that drafted him 10th overall in ’22.
“I’m hopeful I’m a Jet for life and we get this thing rolling and all of our best days are ahead of us,” Wilson said. “I don’t know exactly what that looks like, but I’m going to do my part. And when the time does come and those conversations are being had, I’m going to do my part to make it undeniable.”
That would be music to the Jets and their fans.