Garrett Wilson says he’s working his way back after a 2025 knee injury, with training going well and a focus on getting comfortable playing at full speed again—especially with a new quarterback, Geno Smith. The Jets have added David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq and Om
Garrett Wilson didn’t sound like someone chasing a miracle—more like a player trying to erase the last little distance between feeling good and feeling fully himself.
The New York Jets are counting on that next step as they try to climb out of the longest postseason drought in the NFL. After a draft that brought three players in the first round—David Bailey. Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper—the team is leaning on the hope that the next wave finally turns promise into playoff football. Jets fans have been here before. In the 2022 draft, New York took Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson and Jermaine Johnson in the first round. Gardner and Wilson were both named rookie of the year on their respective sides of the ball. but the Jets never made it over the hump.
Wilson is the only one from that 2022 first-round class still on the team’s roster. And while he said last week that the latest changes don’t represent “failure. ” the Jets’ stretch of futility has been impossible to ignore—made harder by Wilson’s knee injury in 2025. This offseason. though. he’s been working out without issue. and he believes he’s close to playing at the level he wants to reach when the season starts.
“So now it’s just getting back comfortable with playing. getting used to having a guy on me running routes. ” Wilson said via the team’s website. “Stuff you can’t really mimic until you’re doing the real thing. I feel great, but as far as getting back to myself, I’ve got some work to do. I’m excited, though, I’m excited. It’s going to be a journey and, um . . . yeah, man, I’m not that far off. . . . I don’t want to scare nobody. I’m good. But I’ve got a different standard that I just want to get back to, and that’s the mission.”.
The work ahead isn’t just physical. Wilson also expects to build timing and rhythm with a new quarterback in Geno Smith. Wilson described Smith’s throwing as something the Jets can build on quickly—saying Smith “throws a real friendly ball.” That. to Wilson. is a foundation the Jets hope will find its way into his hands early and often in their latest bid to snap the postseason drought.
The Jets are trying to turn another offseason of hope into something that finally lasts. Wilson’s message is clear: he feels great. he’s training without issue after the 2025 knee injury. but he’s still chasing that last step back to his own standard—because for this team. the gap between believing and winning has already been far too long.
Garrett Wilson New York Jets Geno Smith NFL knee injury 2025 David Bailey Kenyon Sadiq Omar Cooper Sauce Gardner Jermaine Johnson AFC East rookie of the year
Knee injuries always sound fake til week 1 so we’ll see.
So they drafted like 3 dudes and NOW we’re supposed to trust they’ll make playoffs? Jets been “one step away” forever. I just hope Wilson doesn’t rush it and mess it up again.
Is Geno Smith even the QB anymore? Feels like he was with a different team like last year lol. But “friendly ball” sounds like he’s gonna get a lot of easy throws which is good for Wilson
I don’t get it, they say he feels great and “not that far off” but he had a 2025 knee injury so how is he already close? Also Sauce and Garrett were rookie of the year in 2022, right? And Jets still couldn’t make it, so maybe the problem isn’t Wilson’s knee at all but coaching or like… that always happens. Anyway I’m just tired of Jets hope posts.