D.J. Reed: Aaron Rodgers-Garrett Wilson connection 'definitely on a different zone right now' at Jets camp
Garrett Wilson put up 1,000-plus yards in each of his first two NFL seasons while catching passes from Zach Wilson, Mike White, Joe Flacco, Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle.
Imagine what he can do with a fully healthy Aaron Rodgers.
A year ago, the Wilson-Rodgers tandem looked poised for a big year before Rodgers’ season ended after four snaps. With the four-time MVP returning to action, expectations are even higher in 2024.
During NFL Network’s Back Together Weekend coverage on Saturday, Rodgers gushed about Wilson’s otherworldly talent, noting that he’s still learning as a third-year player.
“He’s hard to throw to, honestly — he’s so damn fast,” Rodgers said. “I throw a ball to him first play of practice on Wednesday, and I threw it and I thought maybe I had overthrown him and he actually slowed down maybe half a step. So, it takes some getting used to. He’s just so dynamic because he can go from zero to full speed so quickly, and he can look like he’s just kind of like gliding out there because he’s moving so fast. It’s a gift.
“Now his thing is the details. If we can get him to figure out just a little minor details, things are going to take off. We had a play today that I asked him to do something on rep he wasn’t going to get (the ball), and he didn’t realize it at the time, but it was setting up a play later in practice where we had a similar look. He comes back, and he kind of got it. So, it’s little things like that.
“He’s in his third year, he’s going to figure it out. He has all the skill sets; he’s as dynamic as I’ve ever been around. If he can figure out how to practice with those details, then you get in the game, and he just relies on his instincts and it’s going to be really special.”
Rodgers’ intelligence, experience and feel for the offense will only help Wilson expand his game on the field. The former MVP knows how to get his best players the ball in key situations. Just as he once fed Davante Adams, he can take advantage of Wilson’s ability to win off the line.
Off the field, Rodgers believes Wilson is turning into a leader whose passion others feed off of.
“I don’t want to turn off the passion at all — he’s a passionate guy, he’s got a contagious energy about him,” the Jets QB told NFL Network’s Judy Battista and Brian Baldinger. “It’s just when that passion becomes overly demonstrative, then we want to scale it back a little bit. But his passion is an asset. So, I don’t want to turn any off.
“I want him to take the next step in leadership because I think he can really take the next step. There’s certain guys on a roster that are the energy guys that everybody is kind of looking to. By default, the quarterback is often that guy, but for him, he’s got to realize that people are watching him at all times. It’s no longer you’re a rookie, or you’re a second-year expectation — no, now you’re in a position to lead, and when you do that, everybody is watching all the time. They’re watching how your attitude is, how your interactions are with the guys and so his next step is that leadership role, and I think he’s going to embrace that. He could be a dynamic leader for us.”
While the pads have yet to come on, the early returns on the Rodgers-Wilson combo are evident in camp. Veteran cornerback D.J. Reed said the duo is putting pressure on a good defense.
“I’ll just say: 8 [Rodgers] and Garrett, they’re definitely on a different zone right now,” he said. “What we’re being asked to do, they’re making it hard. They know what we’re in, so they’re giving us the hard downs, which is ultimately going to prepare for Game 1 and the season. But with their chemistry, they’re doing stuff, like, on the go. They’re running a certain route. If you overpursue, they’re running another route. They’re definitely in a different element. But it’s ultimately going to make me better.”
If Rodgers and Wilson both stay healthy in 2024, they should be among the top QB-WR combos in the NFL.
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