Zach Wilson has a rough practice as Jets don pads for first time in training camp

The first day in pads translated to a rough time for Zach Wilson, who ended Monday’s practice with back-to-back 3-and-outs and continued calls for patience.

“Dissecting every play with him I think—especially in this market—is a very, very difficult thing to live up to,” coach Robert Saleh said. “But at the same time, he’s already taken those steps and I think he’s gotten a lot better and I think in due time people are going to see it.”

Wilson was among the league’s worst, if not the worst, starting quarterbacks last season while losing 10 of his 13 games, tossing more interceptions (11) than TDs (9). It got better for Wilson toward the end of his rookie campaign, but there are reasons Jets fans were so quick to jump aboard the Mike White train.

Wilson’s performances will draw scrutiny or praise far more powerful than this training camp setting deserves. And on Monday, he began the scrimmage portion with a bang—a 70-yard TD toss to Elijah Moore—before the starting offense fizzled with him under center.

“You want to see execution,” offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur said. “And ultimately we didn’t do that with the (starters).”

LaFleur absolved Wilson from all the blame, however, noting that he called a keeper into a blitz and the 22-year-old QB made the correct play by throwing the ball away.

And by accounts, Wilson is operating with more confidence than during last year’s training camp, when the quarterback’s shakiness became a strong indicator of his early-season woes.

“I think last year—and it’s all young quarterbacks—they’re trying to do so right by going through their progressions and stuff like that,” LaFleur said. “And sometimes you’re thinking about the progression. If you’re thinking about the progression, you can’t play quarterback. I don’t think he’s having the think about the progression so much now, he’s just playing the position.”

But it’s still wait-and-see with Wilson.

“I know from a practice standpoint we are under a microscope for every little thing that all the quarterbacks do. Some of it is good, some of it is bad,” Saleh said. “But when we get to games, when we get to scrimmages, when we get to the intersquad practices, I think people will see that he’s taken a step.”

KICKING BATTLE

Jets kickers haven’t had much job security lately, but special teams coach Brant Boyer hopes to get rid of that headache with the winner of the Edwin Pineiro vs. Greg Zuerlein competition.

“I would really like to get that settled down,” Boyer said.

Pineiro, the incumbent, and Zuerlein, a free-agent acquisition, both completed the offseason homework assigned by Boyer.

For Pineiro, it was achieving a higher rise on his kicks. For Zuerlein, it was hitting the ball clean so that he didn’t hook or slice a kick “every now and then.”

Still, Boyer understands the most important tests will be in preseason.

“The numbers are pretty similar. Both have fixed what I asked them to fix when they left,” Boyer said. “And we’ll see who makes them in the games and make a decision after that.”

SODA POP

Linebacker Kwon Alexander, acquired as a free agent just late last week, was an energetic presence in Monday’s session and, as defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich colorfully explained, provided an alcohol-like kick to the atmosphere.

“Coke is really good. But Coke with a little something in it is better,” Ulbrich said. “He’s the addition to our Coke.”

Alexander said he chose the Jets over the Saints and Giants while citing his familiarity with Saleh, who coached him as a defensive coordinator with the 49ers. He’s projected as a backup and clearly has the support of Saleh.

“He’s in great shape. He has great recall of what we did in San Francisco, and there are some new things we’re doing here. He’s a quick learner, very instinctual,” Saleh said. “And you guys saw – he made a play in that last period and did Kwon what Kwon does and made sure everybody on the other side of the ball knew about it. Brought everybody to life.”

Alexander called his first day with the Jets “legendary.”

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