New York Jets Wide Receiver and OROY Suffers Ankle Injury

The early days of training camp have added another concerning injury. New York Jets wide receiver and 2022 AP Offensive Rookie of the Year Garrett Wilson left the field with a trainer last week, and head coach Robert Saleh finally provided an update, declaring the injury a low-ankle sprain.

Jets WR Garrett Wilson is dealing with a low ankle sprain and the team is being cautious with him, per coach Robert Salehhttps://t.co/eUA2l7vqCK pic.twitter.com/QyeHDhRPAh
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) July 30, 2023

Wilson is expected to make a full recovery before the start of the regular season, but he'll likely miss practice for the foreseeable future.

The Jets took Wilson with the 10th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft after a standout career at Ohio State that included 2213 receiving yards and 24 total touchdowns. He hit the ground running in the NFL with a sensational rookie season, leading the Jets and all rookie wide receivers with 1103 receiving yards.

Wilson's development in his second season will go a long way toward deciding the effectiveness of the Jets offense, so missed time is hardly in the team's best interest, especially with new quarterback Aaron Rodgers in town. How far the Jets can go this season will depend on how much they can improve upon last year's hideous 29th ranking in points scored.

If the Jets are going to contend for a Super Bowl, they'll need Wilson and Rodgers to establish chemistry in a hurry. In Rodgers' best years, he relied heavily on star wide receivers like Davante Adams and Jordy Nelson; Wilson has a chance to be that calibre of a player, but he'll need to get reps on the field. Rodgers is notoriously slow to develop trust in his pass catchers: neither Adams nor Nelson cracked 1000 yards receiving until their age 26 seasons.

The Jets simply do not have that much time on their hands; Rodgers' new contract hints he intends to retire after the 2024 season. Wilson may very well be the team's biggest X-factor. If he can be an All-Pro, the Jets will be a contender. If he stagnates or regresses, the Rodgers experiment may very well fail. Wilson's health will be worth monitoring.