Zach Wilson is just two games into his NFL career, but some are already preparing to jump ship.
Wilson followed up his strong debut against the Panthers with a letdown against the Patriots. He tossed four interceptions — three of which were entirely on him — and brought an end to multiple Jets scoring threats with his careless play. Wilson’s poor performance against New England has overshadowed all the good he showed against the Panthers, as if five interceptions through two games is a death knell to his future.
Trevor Lawrence, while not subject to the same level of scrutiny because he plays in Jacksonville, has endured similar struggles through his first two NFL starts. The No. 1 overall pick has also thrown five interceptions in two games and has failed to put the Jaguars in a position to win a game at any point so far this season.
Lawrence and Wilson are not the first two rookie quarterbacks to struggle early and they certainly won’t be the last. It’s often lost in a sport predicated on a “what have you done for me lately” mindset, but a young player’s maturation — especially a young quarterback — takes time.
It’s not easy to make the jump from college to the professional ranks. Some take longer than others to get used to the speed of the game. Many of the NFL’s great quarterbacks have struggled early in their career, only to bounce back and string together multiple trips to the Pro Bowl, a bevy of All-Pro selections and even Super Bowl wins.
Before pushing the panic button and giving up on Lawrence and Wilson before they ever have a chance to show their true colors, here is a look at how some of the biggest names to play the quarterback position struggled in their first two career starts.