It's been a little more than a month since Garrett Wilson signed his contract extension to remain with the Jets, and the cerebral introspective (off the field), explosive (on the field) wideout is quietly confident and thoughtful about how that will play out for him as he begins his fourth season with the Jets and in the NFL.
For starters, Wilson said securing his future with the Green & White has already impacted his view of himself as a team leader.
"It's definitely a different vibe, just knowing where you're going to be, of knowing that these new guys coming in, let's build this relationship, let's show 'em how we do things here," Wilson said before the Jets' penultimate practice of training camp Tuesday heading toward Friday's preseason finale against the Eagles. "For me, it's never been as much of the vocal thing. With that said, every now and then the time comes up when you've got to say something.
"But it's always out at practice, how do you go about your business, your practice prep, your week leading up to a game. Knowing that people are watching and just giving them great things they can steal from my routine, my training, my practice habits. Just because people believe in me around here and the stuff I've been doing, they deem it to work, so let's bring some people with you."
That's beguiling for the Jets and their fans, who want to see what the options are should opponents try to remove Wilson from the game plan. That happened sometimes in his first three seasons, but on the other hand, Wilson has had a start to his career that no other Jets WR can match. He's caught at least 80 passes for at least 1,000 yards in each of his first three seasons. No other Jet has done that in any three consecutive seasons, let alone from the start of his career.
For another, the new deal means reuniting with his close friend and Ohio State QB, Justin Fields, to do damage to opposing pass defenses in the seasons ahead. Wilson recalls when the two first connected in Columbus in 2019, when Wilson was a freshman and Fields had just transferred from Georgia and they rode to dinner and back to their dorms with Wilson's family.
And then those first practices firmed up their relationship.
"The second day of practice, it felt like we were snapping," Wilson said. "He gave me a chance. I was a lucky freshman, I got to get a rep with some of the older guys. He threw it up there, I just went and got it. And from that point on it felt like he had my back, he was going to push me along and made sure I was getting in the rotation."
The Fields-to-Wilson connection was not a typical college pitch-and-catch-fest. The two played together only in 2019, when Wilson shared targets with Chris Olave and others, and in 2020, when COVID reduced the Buckeyes' schedule to eight games, including a loss to Alabama in the national championship.
But the start to '20 cemented their connection as Wilson in his first four games caught 31 Fields passes for 4 touchdowns and had totals of 129, 111, 104 and 169 receiving yards. For their short 22-game collaboration, they combined for 66 completions, 1,031 yards and 9 TDs.
"We didn't stay in touch, not really too much," Fields said of checking in with Wilson from early 2021, when the QB opted for the NFL Draft, to early '25, when the Jets signed him. "He had his stuff going on here, I had stuff going on where I was at. ... But when I got here, our relationship didn't skip a beat."
"I'm certain that where I'm at now is because of playing with guys like Justin, being able to showcase my abilities," Wilson reflected. "Those are my initial memories with him, but I'm excited to go make some new ones, for sure."
The last element in this story about Wilson's post-extension growth is that he says it gives him a sense of "a little more ownership" in the Jets offense and the team.
"Yeah, I mean, 100 percent," he said. "From talking to the staff, getting to know their philosophy and what they want to see out of me as far as being exactly bought in. There's a little more ownership, it's a little more personal. This is my future home right here, so we've got to get this rolling, not just because of me but because that's what all of us come here to do. We come here to leave a legacy, and mine's gong to be here. And I want it to be as great as it can be.
"Let's keep our heads down, go out and make it happen when it matters. .... That's our goal. We're on the path."
And they're on their current path because of players like Fields ... and Wilson.
"I think Garrett's already special," Fields said of Wilson's standing on the '25 Jets. "I think he's already a cornerstone."
