The Denver Broncos traded a sixth-round draft pick to the New York Jets in exchange for quarterback Zach Wilson and a seventh-round pick in April. That low price tag demonstrated how far Wilson had fallen in New York’s esteem since he was drafted second overall out of BYU in 2021.
Despite his struggles with the Jets, the Broncos felt the price was too good to pass up for a 24-year-old quarterback with 33 career starts on his resume.
“We just felt like, ‘Man, we’d love to work with this guy,'” Denver coach Sean Payton said on June 4. “It wasn’t too long ago we remembered grading him. [We] felt the investment was worth it relative to his skill set and his talent. So it took a while. We spent the better part of a month and a half working on that trade.”
Wilson completed 57% of his passes for 6,293 yards with 23 touchdowns against 25 interceptions in three years in New York. Not exactly impressive numbers, but the trade was a low-risk move for the Broncos.
“I like his experience. You can tell he’s played, and I feel like he has very live arm strength,” Payton said on May 23. “He’s picking up the offense pretty quickly.”
Wilson joins a quarterback room that includes veteran Jarrett Stidham and a first-round draft pick Bo Nix. Denver will let all three QBs compete for the starting job this summer.
“Personally, I think competition brings the best out of everybody,” Wilson said on May 23. “I look forward to what we have. I appreciate the ownership and from the top down for the opportunity to compete. I think it brings out the best in everybody.”
It seems obvious that Wilson and his family were ready to leave the Jets for an opportunity elsewhere, but the QB was diplomatic when asked about his time in the Big Apple.
“Obviously, there are bittersweet moments in everything,” Wilson said. “I am grateful for my experiences there and the guys — I miss the guys out there and everything, too. At the same time, a fresh start is good, and I’m excited to attack the new challenge.”
Wilson will face an uphill battle to win the starting job (he might not even be a lock to make the 53-man roster), but the fourth-year QB knows what it takes to impress the coaching staff.
“I need to be consistent every single day,” he said. “Understanding the offense, understanding what I’m asked to do, taking care of the football and how quickly I can get the ball out of my hands to some of the playmakers that we have.”
He’s not the favorite, but Wilson will get a chance to win the job, and that’s all he can ask for at this point in his career. After struggling with the Jets, Wilson now gets a fresh start with the Broncos. Time will tell if the change of scenery will help him get his career back on track.
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