The 49ers are rumored to have interest in the Jets quarterback.
The San Francisco 49ers have been in rumors about potentially trading for New York Jets Zach Wilson, who is expected to fetch only a late Day 3 pick in return.
Wilson, the No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, has had a tumultuous NFL career with the Jets, throwing for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions in 34 career games, while completing only 57 percent of his passes.
The 49ers had interest in Wilson back before the 2021 NFL Draft, but ultimately didn’t get a chance to acquire him, as he was locked in as the No. 2 overall pick to the Jets early in the process.
Now, with a chance to potentially get Wilson, would a trade be smart for the 49ers to fill their backup quarterback position?
Should the 49ers go after Wilson, they’d likely only need to trade a seventh-round pick in return.
Wilson has just one year on his rookie contract remaining, and the 49ers would pay him $5.45 million, assuming the Jets don’t eat any money on his contract.
But, even with the low risk attributed to the move, the 49ers should shy away from going for Wilson.
Not only is that contract hefty for a backup quarterback, which the 49ers seem to be trying to avoid, but Wilson’s track record has been uninspiring in the NFL.
If the 49ers want to go with a younger option at quarterback, they should opt to draft a rookie and develop them, providing them with a cost-efficient solution behind starter Brock Purdy.
The backup quarterback position has been a subject of heavy conversation among 49ers fans, given how often their starters have gotten injured over the Kyle Shanahan era.
But, ultimately, the chances of winning key games with a backup quarterback are significantly slimmer, which is why the 49ers shouldn’t divert much toward the position, especially as they are already dealing with cap issues.
The 2024 NFL Draft provides them with a number of potential late-round options that have different profiles, and San Francisco could find a prospect with one of their Day 3 selections.
Additionally, should they not be confident in a rookie immediately, veteran Brandon Allen, who has the coveted year in the system, could be the fallback option, while a young quarterback could spend a season on the practice squad.
However, the goal should be to get cheaper at the quarterback position, and drafting an option would provide the 49ers with a young, cost-efficient solution that could develop into a solid backup in the future.
Trading for Zach Wilson, who has just one year of team control and hasn’t been a quality quarterback in the NFL, wouldn’t solve the team’s backup quarterback dilemma.
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