Could the Tampa Bay Buccaneers try and make a trade for New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson this offseason?

Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox thinks it’s a possibility.

Knox cites the Buccaneers rolling with Baker Mayfield this season as evidence that the club is willing to take on reclamation projects (or, in Wilson’s case, just projects).

“Given Tampa’s willingness to take a chance on Mayfield, it wouldn’t be a total shock to see the team take a chance on another former first-round pick who hasn’t panned out. If Zach Wilson, Mac Jones, or Trey Lance can be had for late-round compensation, the Bucs might bite,” Knox wrote. “The Buccaneers need to throw as many darts at the quarterback position as possible until they get it right. Maybe Mayfield is the answer, but Tampa needs to have a Plan B.”

Mayfield is slated to hit free agency this March. While he just enjoyed a terrific bounceback campaign, Tampa Bay re-signing him is not exactly a slam dunk. Mayfield will surely be costly, and the Bucs may be leery of giving him a lucrative long-term deal based on how poorly he performed the preceding two seasons.

If the Buccaneers lose Mayfield or if they re-sign him and he reverts back to his 2022 form, it would be nice if Tampa Bay had a backup plan in place.

Now, whether or not Wilson is the solution there is the question.

The 24-year-old has not exactly ingratiated himself to Jets fans over the first three seasons of his NFL career, amassing 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions while going 12-21 as a starter.

Wilson, who played his collegiate football at BYU, was originally selected by New York with the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.

The general consensus is that the Jets will attempt to trade him this offseason, and Knox notes that the Bucs may have interest if the cost is minimal (e.g. a late-round draft pick).

It seems highly doubtful that the Buccaneers will put all of their eggs in the Wilson basket for 2024. Perhaps they will re-sign Mayfield and swing a trade for Wilson as his backup, but the idea of the team allowing Mayfield to walk and then acquiring Zach Wilson for the role of starter seems outlandish, to say the least.

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