If an NFL team needs a backup quarterback in the coming weeks, they should contact the Denver Broncos.
According to Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox, Denver quarterback Zach Wilson is a strong contender to be dealt this season, with the Green Bay Packers and New York Giants being the most likely destinations.
“Like [Mac] Jones, Wilson had some impressive moments during the preseason that could stir up trade interest,” Knox wrote on September 11, ranking Wilson sixth on his “trade block big board.” “Two teams stand out as logical bidders at this stage. The Packers will be without [injured quarterback Jordan] Love for the foreseeable future, and they may need to find a new quarterback to get through the coming weeks.
According to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero, the Packers ‘have not reached out and are not expected’ to pursue a veteran quarterback at this time. That posture may shift, however, depending on how backup Malik Willis performs in Week 2.
Wilson was not on the Broncos’ active roster for their Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks, therefore he was employed as the team’s emergency third quarterback. During training camp, rookie Bo Nix beat out Wilson and veteran Jarrett Stidham for the starting quarterback position.
The Broncos traded for Zach Wilson in the offseason.
Getting another team to nibble on Wilson as trade bait might help the Broncos recoup their investment in him — their 2024 sixth-round pick — in a trade with the New York Jets this offseason.
At this point, the Broncos would be thrilled to receive a sixth- or seventh-round choice in exchange.
“Wilson, another first-round disappointment from the 2021 draft class, is behind both Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham on the Denver Broncos depth chart,” Knox stated in an email. “While Nix didn’t exactly have a stellar NFL debut, Wilson could be viewed as an expendable trade chip.”
While the Packers face uncertainty with Jordan Love’s injury in Week 1 and an inexperienced backup in Willis, the Giants may be an alternative because they appear to be heading for a dumpster fire of a season. Daniel Jones, the starting quarterback, completed 22 of 42 passes for 186 yards and two interceptions in a Week 1 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
Jones is prone to injury, and Drew Lock serves as his backup quarterback, so the Giants may need bodies at some point. Wilson might be one of those thrown into the fire to perform a decent impression of an NFL quarterback for the season.
According to Broncos general manager George Paton, Wilson will eventually return to the NFL as a starter.
“He has all the starting characteristics in the world.” Paton told the Denver Gazette in late August that he is still working through some issues. “You could see the extremely good last week in the game (vs. Cardinals). He is a top-tier thrower in the league. “I believe he will be a starter in this league.
Wilson bombed out at his first NFL stop.
Wilson has been one of the NFL’s most recent high-profile draft disasters, after the Jets selected him second overall in the 2021 NFL draft out of BYU and signed him to a four-year, $35.1 million contract.
Despite his difficulties as a starter, Wilson went 12-21 with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions, and he will still receive his full rookie contract. That’s largely due to the $22.9 million signing bonus he received in 2021.
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