Garrett Wilson: I feel great, but still some work to do to be back to myself

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The Jets took three players in the first round of this year's draft, which led to hope that David Bailey, Kenyon Sadiq and Omar Cooper can spark a long-awaited return to the playoffs for the AFC East team. It led others to recall similar feelings during the 2022 draft when the Jets 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 got over the hump and Wilson is the only one left on the team's roster. Wilson said last week that the changes don't represent "failure," but futility has been part of the equation for the Jets far too often and Wilson's knee injury in 2025 didn't help matters. He's been working out without issue this offseason and said that he's feeling close to being back at the level he wants to play at this fall. "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." Wilson will be working with another new quarterback in Geno Smith, who he said "throws a real friendly ball" that the Jets hope will find its way into Wilson's hands early and often in their latest bid to snap the NFL's longest postseason drought.