The Zach Wilson era in New York is coming to an end. Wilson, the former No. 2 overall pick whose tenure with the Jets has been defined by poor play and high-profile benchings, is getting sent to the Denver Broncos in a trade that includes late-round NFL Draft picks getting swapped, according to Ian Rapoport of NFL Network.
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Former #Jets starting QB and No. 2 pick Zach Wilson is on the move. Sources say he’s being traded to the #Broncos, hoping for a fresh start.
The deal includes a late-round pick swap (6th for a 7th) and NYJ will pay some of Wilson’s roughly $5.5M salary. pic.twitter.com/7Y1KShZ3sg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2024
A draft week QB deal! It's Pick 203 for Pick 256. https://t.co/waZCa9qgMm
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2024
Wilson burst onto the scene after his final year at BYU, when he went from a late-round pick to one of the top quarterbacks in his class. Whether it was because of the team around him or his own struggles to get used to the NFL, he was unable to reach the highs that he achieved in college once he got to the league, as he’s thrown more interceptions than touchdowns in his career and consistently posted one of the worst QBRs in the league.
Ahead of last season, New York attempted to upgrade under center when it traded for Aaron Rodgers in the offseason. However, Rodgers tore his achilles on his first drive as a member of the Jets, which led to Wilson getting his job back. While he had the best year of his career, that wasn’t an especially high bar, as he went 221-for-368 (60.1 percent) for 2,271 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He was benched later in the season as the offense struggled to take advantage of New York’s elite defense, and rumors popped up that 2023 would be his final year with the team.
The Broncos have an opening under center after the decision was made to cut Russell Wilson. Currently, the team’s QB room includes Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci.
