Garrett Wilson is the best player on the New York Jets. That has been the case over the last several years now.

Whenever the former Ohio State star is off the field, New York is worse for it. So when head coach Aaron Glenn announced Wilson entered concussion protocol before practice on Wednesday, most fans wouldn't be wrong to feel even worse going into Sunday's contest against the Kansas City Chiefs. New York is already 2-6 and needs everyone on deck to be able to thwart the playoff contender.

But what if I told you the Jets, for the first time since Wilson was brought to the team in 2022, aren't going to miss Wilson as much as before? What if the offense won't miss a beat?

And it has everything to do with the system and personnel at their disposal.

Jets prepared for Sunday without Wilson

Sometimes, an injury to a WR1 doesn't have the kind of debilitating effect on an offense that you might expect. Part of that reason is due to the depth around the top receiver. If Wilson does not pass concussion protocol in time for Sunday's game, the Jets will be perfectly fine.

And it's due to the depth on the roster.

At receiver, Adonai Mitchell and rookie receiver Omar Cooper Jr. have shown their own breakout
capabilities over the last few weeks. In Week 6 and 7, Cooper was the first rookie receiver with back-to-back 100-yard games since Al Toon in 1985. Just last week, Mitchell recorded a seven-catch, 142-yard game as the most productive player in the offense. Without Wilson, players like Cooper will be in the spotlight, and he appears ready for it.

“What he did is showcase who he is," Geno Smith said after Week 6 of Cooper. "He’s a playmaker. He finds ways to make catches, the tough catches … he makes them look easy.”

And what about Smith himself? Many times a top receiver leaves a game, the quarterback normally struggles immediately after. Only true veterans with years of experience are able to keep an offense afloat. Smith is among the latter quarterbacks mentioned.

So far this season, he has recorded 1,913 yards passing with 12 touchdowns and three interceptions. He has been everything the team has hoped for at the position and more. It's another reason why the team should be perfectly fine without Wilson.

"He's really commanding that offense the way you want a quarterback to do that, so the drop back game he's doing a hell of a job," Glenn said of Smith.

Remember, we haven't even brought up the fact that Braelon Allen is on a historic five-game pace, and Breece Hall could be in line to return to the team after missing the last five contests. New York having a successful rushing attack changes the desperate need for a top receiver, especially with quality other wideouts on the roster.

Losing Wilson is never easy for the Jets offense. But unlike prior years, the team is better prepared for his absence. They might even remain a unit that's able to put up plenty of points without him.