The Titans look like a favorable Week 1 draw for a lot of the Jets’ offense, and Garrett Wilson may be the biggest beneficiary of the bunch.
Breece Hall has a path to pop on the ground and in the passing game, and Mason Taylor also has a chance to get involved through the air. But the real question is how Wilson fits into the picture as New York’s highest-paid weapon, and the early signs point in a good direction.
Wilson said recently that offensive coordinator Frank Reich has moved him outside more often, which lines up with what Reich has done with his top receivers in the past. Wilson put it this way: “I truly, like this year, I’m getting back to playing outside, which-and we were kind of talking about on the field-all of a sudden, the routes you do catch are a little more contested, but deeper down the field, more rewarding,” Wilson said.
“So there’s aspects to it. I like being able to do a little bit of everything and, playing outside for me this year has been something I ain’t done in a while, and I missed it.”
That shift matters. Reich’s No. 1 receivers have historically lined up outside at a huge rate, including Michael Pittman Jr.
(83.7%, 2021), T.Y. Hilton (85.6%, 2020), and Alshon Jeffery (86.2%, 2017).
Wilson’s career average is 70.5%, and his high mark was 76.6% in 2024, so a noticeable jump seems likely.
If that holds, Wilson should spend most of Sunday working against Tennessee’s outside corners instead of slot defenders. That also means more vertical routes and fewer of the short, easy touches he’s seen at times in recent seasons.
The matchup itself tilts Wilson’s way. Tennessee’s starting outside corners are Alontae Taylor and Cor’Dale Flott, both free-agent additions on big-money deals this offseason. Taylor signed a three-year, $58 million contract after coming over from New Orleans, while Flott landed a three-year, $45 million deal from the Giants.
Robert Saleh’s zone-heavy approach should keep Wilson seeing both of them. Because outside corners in that system usually stay on one side, Wilson’s movement across the formation could create a near even split between Taylor and Flott.
On paper, though, Wilson has the edge.
Taylor’s traditional numbers look strong, but the coverage production tells a different story. Since entering the league in 2022, he is fourth among cornerbacks in passes defended with 52 and first in total tackles with 293, but his coverage grades and efficiency have lagged. His career averages are 51.4 in coverage grade and 1.28 yards allowed per cover snap.
Flott’s profile is better, though still not intimidating. He has career averages of a 64.7 coverage grade and 1.02 yards allowed per cover snap, which puts him around the league baseline. Taylor, by comparison, has been well below it.
There’s also a wrinkle with Taylor: this will be his first outside role since his rookie year after spending the last three seasons in the slot. At 6 feet, 199 pounds with 32¼-inch arms and 4.36 speed, the physical tools are there, but the adjustment is real.
Flott comes in off the best season of his career, and his 2025 numbers were solid. Among 85 qualified cornerbacks, he ranked 36th in yards allowed per cover snap at 0.88, 12th in passer rating allowed at 72.8, and 28th in PFF coverage grade at 68.1.
Even so, his frame gives Wilson a clear opening. Flott is listed at a shade over six feet but weighs 175 pounds, with 30⅛-inch arms and 8-inch hands. That leaves him vulnerable when the ball is in the air, and Wilson has long been at his best on contested downfield chances.
Saleh’s coverage tendencies add another layer. In 2025 with the San Francisco 49ers, his most-used looks were Cover 3 at 31.5% and Cover 1 at 21.7%, which should give Wilson plenty of middle-of-the-field-closed opportunities. In camp, Jets quarterback Geno Smith was already attacking outside receivers when he saw those looks, and Wilson should be the primary target on a lot of them Sunday.
With Reich’s outside usage, Wilson’s own comfort on the boundary, and Tennessee’s cornerback setup, the stage is set for New York to push the ball his way early and often. Taylor’s transition and Flott’s size limitations both point in Wilson’s favor.
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