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As the clock ticks toward the NFL trade deadline on November 5, one player on the roster for the Denver Broncos is generating as much trade buzz as anyone in the league. That it’s third-string quarterback and former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson speaks as much to the deft career reboot Wilson has experienced under head coach Sean Payton as it does to the NFL’s neverending sentiment that one team’s folly could be another team’s fortune.
Bleacher Report’s Kristopher Knox predicts the Broncos will turn Wilson into a future draft pick via a trade with the Tennessee Titans, who are essentially flipping out one former bust in Wilson for one current bust as they turn the page on 2023 second round pick Will Levis.
“A handful of young quarterbacks could be available at the deadline, notably, 2021 first-round picks Trey Lance, Zach Wilson and Mac Jones,” Knox wrote. “All are impending 2025 free agents and could warrant a half-season audition with a team like Tennessee. Of this group, Wilson should be the most attractive to the Titans. The 2021 second overall pick fell short with the New York Jets, though the Jets’ inconsistent offense this season suggests he wasn’t solely to blame. Wilson played well during the preseason and would likely be available for a reasonable offer.”
Wilson, who hasn’t been on the active roster for the Broncos yet this season, has served as the third quarterback behind veteran backup Jarrett Stidham and Bo Nix all season.
The Broncos have already made one deal involving Wilson, who is in the final year of a 4-year, $35.1 million contract, when they traded a 2024 sixth round pick to the Jets in exchange for Wilson and a 2024 seventh round pick.
Wilson Breathed New Life Into Career in Denver
Simply by being a good teammate and serviceable backup, Wilson has brought his career back to life in Denver after it seemed like it was on life support after 3 seasons with the Jets, where he’ll go down in history as one of the franchise’s all-time draft busts and the third first-round quarterback for the Jets to bottom out in the last 20 years alongside Mark Sanchez (2009) and Sam Darnold (2018).
During his time in New York, Wilson was one of the NFL’s worst quarterbacks, going 12-21 in 33 starts while throwing for more interceptions (25) than touchdowns (23) and leading the league in yards lost on sacks (370) in 2021 and in fumbles lost (7) in 2023.
More than that, though, one incident vilified Wilson among the Jets fan base and in mosts NFL circles. After Wilson went 9-of-22 passing for 77 yards and no touchdowns in a 10-3 loss to the New England Patriots in 2022, Wilson flatly refused to take any blame for the loss — and did so in a manner that ended with him being demoted to third string quarterback.
Wilson Was Bad, Levis Might Be Even Worse
Levis was a projected first round pick in the 2023 NFL draft but concerns over the dropoff in his performance from his junior to senior seasons and some weird off-field stuff — Levis said he put mayonnaise in his coffee and ate banana skins — caused him to plummet to the first pick of the second round.
Levis went 1-4 in 5 starts in 2024 but has missed the last 2 games with a shoulder injury — in those 5 games he has 10 turnovers and 6 total touchdowns.