Broncos' Zach Wilson opens up about being traded by Jets

While speaking with reporters on Thursday, Broncos backup quarterback Zach Wilson discussed the Jets giving up on him and trading him to Denver earlier this offseason. 

"Obviously, there’s bittersweet moments in everything," Wilson said about the trade, according to Parker Gabriel of the Denver Post. "I was grateful for my experiences there. And the guys. I miss the guys out there and everything, too. But at the same time, a fresh start is good. I’m excited to attack a new challenge." 

The Jets made Wilson the second pick of the 2021 NFL Draft, but head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged in January that the club probably did the 24-year-old a disservice by playing him as a rookie. Saleh benched Wilson on multiple occasions during the 2022 season, and the Jets' plan to have Wilson sit behind veteran Aaron Rodgers throughout the 2023 campaign blew up once Rodgers suffered a torn Achilles early into Week 1. 

Wilson failed to cement himself as a suitable replacement for Rodgers through Week 15 of what became a lost season for everybody involved. Additionally, it was reported this past winter that Wilson's feelings on Rodgers "soured over the season" after "Wilson barely heard from" the future Hall of Famer following the campaign's opener. 

Per Pro Football Reference, Wilson finished his final season as a member of the Jets ranked last among qualified passers with a 30.6 adjusted QBR. He technically is competing this spring with rookie Bo Nix and journeyman Jarrett Stidham for Denver's starting job, but it's widely believed Wilson will enter this September as the club's QB3. 

"I feel like you learn the most when things don’t always go the best," Wilson added about his experiences. "So you bank those reps, you learn from them and three years of things being challenging, you can learn a lot of things. Hopefully, I can carry those with me."

While Denver made Nix a first-round draft pick in late April, Wilson is in the final year of his contract after the team declined to pick up his fifth-year option. Wilson said Thursday he's "really enjoying" his new football home, but he'll likely be on the move again next offseason.