Zach Wilson didn’t attempt a pass for the Denver Broncos this season, but he still earned praise from his teammates.
The Athletic spoke to some Broncos players for a recent piece exploring if Wilson could be in line for another starting opportunity.
Wilson is a free agent this offseason, so his time in Denver could come to an end soon.
The former BYU Cougar is hoping to be the next quarterback to join the group of signal callers who went from being labeled a bust to finding NFL success this season. The group includes Sam Darnold, Baker Mayfield and Jared Goff.
Wilson’s Denver teammates seem to believe that such a transformation could be in Wilson’s future.
From the Jets to the Broncos
In April, the New York Jets traded Wilson, who they drafted No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL draft, to the Broncos, closing a tumultuous chapter of Wilson’s NFL career.
He joined incumbent backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci, who had spent the previous season on the practice squad.
Just a few days later, the Broncos drafted Bo Nix in the first round. The team then cut DiNucci two weeks later.
Nix was named the starter, and Stidham was his backup. Wilson served as the Broncos' emergency third quarterback out of the spotlight.
“It gave him a year (away) from the stress,” tight end Adam Trautman told The Athletic. “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.”
What Broncos players said about Zach Wilson
Wilson formed a bond with his fellow Broncos quarterbacks while in Denver. The three quarterbacks and their wives — or in the case of Wilson, fiancee — for dinners every Thursday, according to The Athletic.
Their bonding was often shared on social media, like the time their significant others asked the quarterbacks questions “only girls should know,” as the Deseret News previously reported.
“I think Zach really had a great time here,” said Denver wide receiver David Sills to The Athletic. “He had a great (quarterback) room being with Bo and Stiddy. That was the first time where he was around some younger guys in their careers. It was good for him to bounce ideas off them. He really developed. Coach (Sean) Payton does a great job with quarterbacks and keeping them involved in the game plan and everything, and I think he just had an awesome time this year.”
Sills, who worked with Wilson on the Broncos’ scout team this season, thinks the former BYU quarterback has a bright future ahead.
“He’s got all the attributes you want in a quarterback. 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,” Sills told The Athletic.
Not only does Sills think Wilson will get another opportunity to be a starter, he thinks Wilson could become one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks.
“He’s got an insane amount of talent. Since the day he got here, I felt like he had the talent to really play in this league, and I think he will,” Sills said. “I think it’s just a matter of time before he’s one of the top quarterbacks in this league.”