Teammates praise Broncos' Zach Wilson amid future uncertainty

Following a three-year tenure with the New York Jets that was filled with more lowlights than highlights, quarterback Zach Wilson got to enjoy a reset season with the Denver Broncos while working with Super Bowl champion head coach Sean Payton.

The Broncos believe they have their long-term answer at the position in 2024 first-round draft pick Bo Nix. Meanwhile, Wilson is on track to reach unrestricted free agency when the new league year opens in March.

Per Nick Kosmider of The Athletic, multiple Denver players recently suggested Wilson could be ready to compete for a starting job elsewhere later this year after he spent a campaign learning as a spectator.

"It gave him a year (away) from the stress," Broncos tight end Adam Trautman said about Wilson’s 2024 season. "He came from the toughest media market to play in. Having a year of stress-free work, learning and being able to say, 'How do I develop as a quarterback?' I think it was awesome for him."

Former Jets head coach Robert Saleh acknowledged last January that the club likely did Wilson no favors by playing the second pick of the 2021 draft as a rookie. Saleh benched Wilson on multiple occasions during the 2022 season before the club acquired Aaron Rodgers from the Green Bay Packers the subsequent spring, and the 25-year-old later failed to cement himself as a suitable replacement for Rodgers after the future Hall of Famer suffered a torn Achilles early into the Jets' 2023 regular-season opener. 

More recently, some believed this past summer that the Broncos could cut Wilson before the start of the 2024 campaign. While he didn't get an opportunity to show what he could offer Denver during meaningful games, he clearly impressed teammates via his practice performances. 

"He’s got all the attributes you want in a quarterback," Broncos wide receiver David Sills said. "I think you see that’s just getting in the right situation. I think he’s going to be a great player for a long time in this league." 

The New York Giants, Cleveland Browns, Pittsburgh Steelers, New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts are some quarterback-needy teams that, theoretically, could take a flier on Wilson via an inexpensive deal if he doesn't agree to return to the Broncos as their QB2. Perhaps at least one of those clubs already thinks Wilson could follow in the footsteps of former Jets starters Geno Smith and Sam Darnold, two signal-callers who eventually found success after they completed stints as backups with other organizations.