The New York Jets just shipped former second-overall pick Zach Wilson and a seventh-round pick to the Denver Broncos for a sixth-round pick, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Monday.
The Broncos are replacing Wilson with Wilson after cutting Russell Wilson in early March. The Jets, meanwhile, are moving on from a guy who they once believed would be their QB of the future after taking him with the second overall pick in the 2021 draft.
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Former #Jets starting QB and No. 2 pick Zach Wilson is on the move. Sources say he’s being traded to the #Broncos, hoping for a fresh start.
The deal includes a late-round pick swap (6th for a 7th) and NYJ will pay some of Wilson’s roughly $5.5M salary. pic.twitter.com/7Y1KShZ3sg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2024
But alas, the young lad was allegedly better at hunting MILFs than trophies, and his Jets tenure never quite panned out.
After Wilson went 3-10 his rookie year and got benched for Mike White in his sophomore season, the Jets looked elsewhere for their signal caller, bringing in legendary gunslinger Aaron Rodgers to hold the position down last season. But, after Rodgers tore his Achilles on the Jets’ very first possession, Wilson had one last shot to prove he could be a starting QB. By all accounts, he failed miserably.
In the 11 games he started for Gang Green last season, the team went 4-7. He threw for only eight touchdowns to seven interceptions and lost his job to a carousel of career backups including Trevor Siemian and Tim Boyle. (RELATED: Struggling NFL Team Reportedly Makes Explosive Quarterback Change To Keep Slim Playoff Hopes Alive)
With the book on his Jets career likely closed, he finishes with a 12-21 record as a starter and a 23 touchdown to 25 interception ratio.
The only solace Wilson may be able to hold is that he’s headed to a new city with extremely low expectations after a few disaster campaigns of their own in Denver. The Utah product will be close to home in Denver and the pressure will likely be off.
The kid still has talent, and maybe getting away from the toxicity of the New York fanbase will help him improve in the interim.