C.J. Uzomah has no doubts Zach Wilson will be able to make a quantum leap as the New York Jets quarterback in his second season, just as Joe Burrow did with the Cincinnati Bengals in 2021.

Asked by a reporter following training camp practice Thursday what it would look like if Wilson made similar improvement as Burrow did, Uzomah answered quickly and confidently. “Not if. He will,” Uzomah said. “And he has been. He’s showing strides already.”

This is not a hot take from a radio host. The tight end is in position to know. Uzomah played two seasons with Burrow in Cincinnati before signing with the Jets in the offseason.

“I think the game’s slowing down for [Wilson] already,” Uzomah said. “You can see it in his reads and what he’s doing when he’s looking off defenders, how he’s delivering the ball … he’s got a helluva’ an arm. … I think he’s doing a tremendous job already.”

It’s not exactly breaking news that Uzomah is firmly entrenched in the Wilson Fan Club. The 29-year-old arrived at camp Tuesday wearing a fun t-shirt proclaiming Wilson as TIME magazine’s Person of the Year.

The two have grown close quickly on and off the field this offseason. Uzomah was one of 10 or so skill players who traveled to Idaho with Wilson for a bonding and workout trip ahead of training camp. And it’s clear the veteran has taken a liking to the 22-year-old quarterback.

“He’s like little bro’ and that makes me sound old and I don’t love it,” Uzomah said of Wilson. “He’s super young and is a little brother to me. We’re like living 2-3 doors down from one another, so that’s going to be fun. Knock on his door randomly, come get food from him, from his chef. He’s little bro’ and that’s kind of how we treat each other.”

Wilson has a way to go, though, to match Burrow’s success. The No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft completed 55.6 percent of his passes in 13 starts as a rookie, threw 11 interceptions to nine touchdowns and often failed to make the simple play.

Burrow, the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft, was far better than Wilson during his rookie season, even though he was limited to 10 games because of a torn ACL and MCL in his knee. He threw 13 touchdowns and only five interceptions, and completed 65.3 percent of his passes in 2020.

Zach Wilson Jets

Last season Burrow emerged as an elite NFL quarterback, throwing for 4,611 yards and 34 touchdowns, leading the league with a 70.4 percent completion percentage. He helped the Bengals reach the Super Bowl in his second season, when they lost to the Los Angeles Rams 23-20.

No matter what Uzomah says, it’s a tall order for Wilson to match Burrow this season. But that doesn’t mean significant improvement can’t or won’t be attained. Wilson appears much more confident, has added 13 pounds of muscle and has his teammates believing good days are just around the corner after the Jets' 4-13 season in 2021.

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“Zach is a great leader, definitely coming into his own,” veteran wide receiver Corey Davis said Thursday. “He’s bringing guys along with him. In the huddle, he’s definitely made some steps from last year.”

Jets general manager Joe Douglas had plenty of good things to say about his QB 1 on NFL Network Radio on Sirius-XM.

Coach Robert Saleh pumps the brakes on expectations for Wilson this season, though he consistently praised him during OTAs and minicamp.

It’s obvious the Jets need Zach Wilson to emerge as a star if they’re going to possibly snap an 11-year playoff drought, the longest in the NFL. If C.J. Uzomah is correct in his prediction, 2022 could be a memorable season for Gang Green and their tortured fan base.