Jets Head Coach Compares Garrett Wilson-Jerry Rice Duo To Old 49er Teammates
With the trade for Davante Adams, the New York Jets know they finally have a receiving counterpart who could help in the development of Garrett Wilson.
In the anals of NFL history, many examples of older veteran wideouts have helped set the stage for a younger one to take over the mantel as the best in the league.
One such example came in the late 2000s.
For the Jets, interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich had a front-row seat for that partnership and sees plenty of similarities between the one he saw as a player, and the one he sees now as a head coach.
"I was fortunate enough in San Francisco to be around Terrell Owens and Jerry Rice and to see firsthand all that Jerry taught T.O. Jerry at the time was in his 18th year, whatever it was, but so established and understood the game at the highest level," Ulbrich explained. "I think Davante's going to provide that same thing for Garrett and for all of our receivers. He's done this at an elite level for a long time, and on top of all of it, you're going to see exactly the reflection of a relationship with Aaron, the synergy that they've had for so long. So, it's an exciting time to be a jet in that way."
As good as Adams has been over his 10-year career, his numbers pale in comparison to the likes of Rice. That isn't a knock, it's a reality of how good Rice was during his NFL career.
Related: Jets' Aaron Rodgers Reveals Brutally Honest 1-Word Review Of Bills LossThat being said, while Wilson and Owens play with different skills and body types, Adams could certainly provide a mentorship mentality to Wilson that the Ohio State product hasn't gotten since he was drafted by the Jets.
If Adams can provide solid leadership to Wilson while not grabbing into his touches, this partnership might just work out.
That's at least what the Jets are praying for now.
This story was originally published October 16, 2024, 2:10 PM.
