Tyrod Taylor already seems to be a huge improvement over Zach Wilson

The NY Jets have made efforts to improve their roster in many ways this offseason, but perhaps none is as significant as the improvement at quarterback—and we’re not even talking about Aaron Rodgers.

Yes, the return of Rodgers will undoubtedly provide a much-needed jolt to the stagnant and incompetent offense in 2023, but the Jets can’t really be blamed for the four-time MVP’s unfortunate injury last season.

However, they can be faulted for their short-sighted and lackluster replacement plan for him. The good news for Jets fans is that Zach Wilson is gone and his replacement, Tyrod Taylor, has wasted no time getting acquainted with his new team.

Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic reported Monday that Taylor’s performance during OTAs and minicamp this spring made it more than clear “how much better he is” than his successor.

“(Aaron) Rodgers skipping minicamp gave (Tyrod) Taylor the opportunity to get some playtime with the first team. It was immediately apparent how much better he is than Zach Wilson. Taylor may be the best long-ball thrower of any second-string quarterback and is still mobile, but he tends to hold the ball too long and can miss some easy throws in the intermediate ranges.”

– Zack Rosenblatt

Taylor was used a lot this spring, especially during Rodgers’ minicamp absence, where he worked with the first team offense. The 13-year NFL veteran held the fort and ensured that the offense could operate efficiently even without Rodgers.

The team hopes that’s exactly what will happen if Taylor is called into action in 2024.

Of course, anything is possible if Rodgers has to miss another long stretch of injury this season. Taylor can’t be expected to start 12 or more games and lead the Jets to a deep postseason run.

However, he can be asked to step in for a few games and keep the offense running. That’s something Wilson, Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle couldn’t do last season. That’s why the Jets finished the season with a 7-10 record — and it’s why Rodgers was never able to miraculously return from his midseason injury.

Taylor is a well-traveled NFL veteran who has been one of the NFL’s best backup quarterbacks over the past few years. His stints with the New York Giants, Houston Texans, Los Angeles Chargers and Cleveland Browns have all proven that he can step in as a backup starter and win some games.

Taylor has a 28-28-1 record as an NFL starter, throwing 65 touchdowns and just 29 interceptions. He’s not someone who can break down defenses, nor does he have the same playmaking ability as a runner that he had earlier in his career.

But the Jets don’t need Taylor to do any of those things. The Jets will need Taylor to lead the offense if Rodgers misses a few games. Those games could very well determine the outcome of the Jets’ season.

While Wilson is currently a distant third in the NFL’s worst quarterback room, Taylor remains one of the league’s best backup quarterbacks. The gap between Wilson and Taylor is just as large, if not larger, than the gap between Taylor and Rodgers.

The Jets have made major additions to their roster this offseason, and that goes for their backup players as well.