We could see a massive Garrett Wilson breakout with the New York Jets in 2024.
One reason for that could be due to a new wrinkle being installed on the offensive side of the ball. Rich Cimini of ESPN said in a column posted on Sunday, August 4, “Like every team in training camp, the Jets are trying to install new wrinkles on offense. By the regular season, don’t be surprised if you see Wilson in the slot more than past years.”
Moving Wilson Could Greatly Benefit the Jets
According to Pro Football Focus, Wilson got 299 snaps in the slot in 2022 and 297 snaps in the slot in 2023.
Wilson appeared in the slot on 34% of the offensive snaps as a rookie in 2022 and that number decreased in 2023 with only 29% of the offensive snaps coming from the slot.
Despite limited opportunities through his first two seasons, the former Ohio State product has made the most of it.
“In 2023, Wilson made 40 of his 95 receptions (42%) from the slot, an increase from 2022. That year, he made 29 of 83 (35%),” per Next Gen Stats via Rich Cimini of ESPN.
When you operate from the slot as a wide receiver you just get a ton of optionality. Contrarily when you’re lined up out wide the defender can use the boundary as an extra defender. There is no such advantage on the inside for the defense.
Cimini explained that this strategy didn’t just come out of the blue. This is something Nathaniel Hackett and Aaron Rodgers utilized in previous iterations of the Green Bay Packers offense.