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LAS VEGAS — Jets owner Woody Johnson had some things to get off his chest Thursday night before the “NFL Honors” program.

Johnson unloaded on what he was unhappy about in the 2023 season when the team went 7-10.

In the process, he criticized Zach Wilson, the team’s first-round pick in 2021, and the team’s decision-makers who had Wilson as the backup to Aaron Rodgers entering last season.

“We need a backup quarterback,” Johnson said while listing the offseason additions the team needs to make. “We didn’t have one last year.”

The Jets lost Rodgers four plays into the season and Wilson, who the team hoped would watch from the bench for a season, was instead thrust into action.

Wilson won the Buffalo game after Rodgers was injured and four more games as a starter. But his play was ineffective and he was benched in November for Tim Boyle.

The Jets drew heavy criticism for not having a better backup quarterback or adding one after Rodgers was injured. Wilson remains under contract with the Jets, but the team is trying to trade him.

Johnson made the decision to bring back coach Robert Saleh and general manager Joe Douglas after the disappointing season. But Johnson made it clear they are on thin ice entering 2024.

“The discussions I’ve had in the last couple of months, they’ve seen me about as mad as I can be, with what was going on with the offense particularly,” Johnson said. “We’ve got all this talent and we’ve got to deploy talent properly. I think they all got the message. This is it. This is the time to go. We’ve got to produce this year. We have to produce this year.”

Johnson has never been one to say playoffs or else for his leaders but he sounds close to saying that this year.

“I’m not a playoff-mandate [guy,] but we have to do a lot better than seven games,” Johnson said. “We have to do a lot better than [win] seven games. We have to definitely.”

Johnson and the team had high expectations entering last season before Rodgers was injured.

Johnson described what it felt like when he saw Rodgers go down.

“What does it feel like having your arm chopped off?” Johnson said.

Johnson emphasized the team needs to make improvements on offense, but he feels Rodgers will help the Jets close the gap with the Bills and Dolphins in the division.

“I think we can close it with Aaron Rodgers, for sure,” Johnson said. “We’ve got a very good defense. If we can do anything on offense. We went games without scoring a touchdown. That’s absolutely incredible.”

Johnson gave his wish list of what he hopes they add this offseason.

“What do we need? We’ve got Garrett Wilson. We’ve got Breece [Hall]. You’ve got [Alijah Vera-Tucker]. You’ve got [Joe] Tippmann,” Johnson said. “I think you need a guard at least. You need another guard, maybe a couple of tackles and a receiver. What else do we need?”

A reporter responded, “a backup quarterback?”

That is when Johnson said: “We didn’t have one last year.”

Johnson emphasized the need to fix the offense several times in the seven-minute conversation here.

“It’s really all about the offense,” Johnson said. “For the last five years it’s been about the offense. The offense has to score, keep the defense off the field. The defense is good.”

On another topic, Johnson said the Jets and Giants have spoken about putting a grass field at MetLife Stadium, but they have not found a workable solution yet.

MetLife will be required to install grass for the World Cup in 2026.

“We discuss it at least once a week, what we can do and how we can do it,” Johnson said. “You know MetLife is the busiest stadium in the world, really. So, how do we do it? If we could do grass, if I had a tray or something … because you want to make sure grass is as safe in November, December and January as turf. Mud and rocks and all that, that can be dangerous, too.

“It’s going to get beat up. You’re going to have to change it. And then when you put grass down every couple of weeks or every month, it’s very spongy. It’s a different deal. When we did it for soccer last time, your foot kind of dug in. I’m not sure they’re going to like it.”

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