For the first time as a Jet, Garrett Wilson was voted a captain by his teammates.
It’s the latest sign of the young receiver emerging as a leader, after he signed a four-year contract extension in the offseason.
“I’ve had some accolades since I got in the league, but this is the one that I’ll probably tell my kids about first,” Wilson said Thursday. “That just comes from the last three years here. I’m not the most outspoken guy, I’m maybe not the blueprint of the leader when it comes to a captain. But to know the guys still appreciate the way I go about things and they respond to what I do say, it means the world.”
The other Jets captains named were quarterback Justin Fields, defensive tackle Quinnen Williams, right guard Alijah Vera-Tucker, linebacker Jamien Sherwood, and special-teamer Marcelino McCrary-Ball.
“There’s definitely some added responsibility,” Wilson said. “But all responsibilities that I’m willing to bear. I can’t wait to go out there and just go do it. I think it looks different based on each individual. They didn’t vote me as captain to act like someone I’m not. So there’s always balance in that.”
New Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips has been impressed by Quinnen Williams, the backbone to the Gang Green defense.
“He’s an All-Pro,” Phillips said. “The Jets media department had a title sign out there, when you walk out onto the practice field, ‘What player is going to surprise fans this year?’ And I said, ‘Quinnen Williams.’ I know people think All-Pro is as high as you can get, but I think he’s going to surprise people even surpassing that.”
Cornerback Sauce Gardner (fibula) and quarterback Tyrod Taylor (knee) were upgraded from limited to full participants in practice on Thursday.
Offensive lineman Chukwuma Okorafor (hand) was limited.
He didn’t practice on Wednesday.
