Imagine spending the No. 2 overall pick on a quarterback and knowing in his second season that he’s not the answer. That’s precisely where the New York Jets are with Zach Wilson.
According to some advanced stats from Scott Spratt of FTN Fantasy, Wilson was by far the most inaccurate quarterback in the NFL in 2022. In Spratt’s “inaccurate pass rate,” every passer listed had a minimum of 200 passing attempts. Wilson’s led the way at 18%, which is an extremely concerning rate.
If you did deeper on the list, you’ll find the two quarterbacks combined to start 16 games for the Washington Commanders in 2022: Carson Wentz and Taylor Heinicke.
Zach Wilson wasn't just a little less accurate than other 2022 starters. His 18.6% inaccurate pass percentage was an outlier relative to the rest of the bottom 10 passers between 11.6% and 13.8% per @FTNData. pic.twitter.com/NMk01CitQt
— Scott Spratt (@Scott_Spratt) January 17, 2023
Per Spratt’s advanced metrics, 12.3% of Wentz’s 276 passing attempts were inaccurate. For Heinicke, 11.6% of his 259 pass attempts were inaccurate.
And you wonder why Washington’s passing game struggled?
Wentz is under contract for two more seasons, but will be released soon. Heincike is a free agent the team would love to retain as a primary backup, a role Heinicke is comfortable with.
While Washington’s offense had plenty of issues in 2022, the accuracy issues stand out, particularly in the intermediate game.
The Commanders are reportedly telling offensive coordinator candidates that Sam Howell is the plan at quarterback for 2023, but don’t discount head coach Ron Rivera looking for another veteran this offseason such as Derek Carr or Jimmy Garoppolo.