The Denver Broncos season is officially over, which means former second-overall pick Zach Wilson should become a free agent at the start of the new league year. Selected out of BYU by the New York Jets, Wilson earned starting duties as a rookie but didn’t make the most of his opportunities. Going 3-10 in his rookie season, the quarterback completed just 55.6% of his passes for 2,334 yards, nine touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. Following an equally disappointing sophomore season, the Jets benched the quarterback and acquired four-time MVP Aaron Rodgers.
Unfortunately, Rodgers tore his Achilles after four snaps, forcing Wilson back into action. Unfortunately, Wilson continued to disappoint, and New York traded him to the Denver Broncos ahead of the 2024 season. The quarterback never saw the field in 2024 while backing up first-round pick Bo Nix, but that may have been for the best. Without the pressure of playing, Wilson had the opportunity to learn under a great offensive head coach in Sean Payton. Now, he can reinvigorate his career at his next destination.
Nobody will sign Zach Wilson to be their unquestioned starter, and the free agent probably won’t even earn the right to fight for a starting job. However, there is a reason he was the consensus second-overall pick in a stacked quarterback class, which means a team that could use a high-ceiling backup should be interested in his services. Looking around the league, the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs make the most sense as potential destinations.
Ravens, Chiefs Could Pursue Free Agent Zach Wilson
The Baltimore Ravens have an elite quarterback in Lamar Jackson who just won First-Team All-Pro honors and has strong odds of winning his third MVP award. Zach Wilson will never beat out Jackson for the starting job, but he is good enough to be the QB2 on this depth chart. After losing Tyler Huntley in the previous offseason, Baltimore relied on career journeyman Josh Johnson to serve as the backup quarterback, arguably the team’s second most important position.
Jackson stayed healthy throughout the season, which means Johnson’s services were never needed. However, he probably wouldn’t be up for the task if he had to fill in for a few games. Nobody can replace Jackson’s production over a full season, but Baltimore needs a high-upside option to fill in if the reigning MVP misses a few weeks with a minor injury. Zach Wilson has the physical talent to get the job done, and a good coach like John Harbaugh should know how to maximize his strengths in a safe scheme.
Backing Up Mahomes
Patrick Mahomes didn’t play up to his usual standards this year, but an underwhelming version of the quarterback is still one of the best passers in the game. Just like with Baltimore, Zach Wilson would never win the starting job if he signs here as a free agent. However, he could easily win the backup job if the Chiefs decide they’ve seen enough from Carson Wentz.
Much like Wilson, Wentz is a former second-overall pick who ran into hard times over the past few seasons. Head coach Andy Reid believed in his upside, signing him to be the primary backup to Mahomes. While he only played in one game, Wentz was abysmal in limited action. Playing in the regular season finale, the quarterback completed just 58.8% of his passes for 98 yards while taking four sacks. An impending free agent himself, don’t be surprised if the Chiefs let Wentz walk and roll the dice on someone like Zach Wilson.
Main Photo: Ron Chenoy – USA Today Sports
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