The New York Jets traded quarterback Zach Wilson to the Denver Broncos this offseason, and cornerback Sauce Gardner still thinks that Wilson can flourish.
During a recent appearance on the Green Light with Chris Long podcast, Gardner raved about Wilson and said he believes he can succeed on the NFL level based on what he has seen from him.
“I feel like when it comes to talent, as players and coaches, if you see somebody do something – let me just speak for me. If I see somebody do something one time, then I know it’s in them. I know they can do it, right?” Gardner said. “I done practiced against him for two straight years, and I done even seen him do some special things in games.”
Talent has never been the issue with Wilson. He was lauded for his arm strength coming out of BYU, not to mention his mobility. And you know what? There were times when he displayed it with the Jets.
“I know he can do it,” Gardner continued. “It’s just going to take something to get it out of him so this way this can become who he is game in, game out, every day at practice.”
What’s the Next Step for Zach Wilson?
Wilson will likely be the third-string quarterback in Denver this coming season. Either Jarrett Stidham or rookie Bo Nix will end up being the starter.
So, Wilson probably won’t get much of a chance to show much of anything in 2024. But what he can do is learn from new head coach Sean Payton and do his best to improve.
The 24-year-old was selected by the Jets with the second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft.
He made 13 starts during his rookie campaign, throwing for 2,334 yards, nine touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 55.6 percent of his passes and posting a passer rating of 69.7.
The following year, Wilson was limited to nine starts due to injuries, and during that time, he totaled 1,688 yards, six touchdowns and seven picks while completing 54.5 percent of his throws and registering a 72.8 passer rating.
Then, this past season, Wilson was supposed to be the backup to Aaron Rodgers, but Rodgers went down with a torn Achilles in Week 1. He ended up playing in 12 games with 11 starts and threw for 2,271 yards, eight touchdowns and seven interceptions. He completed 60.1 percent of his passes and recorded a passer rating of 77.2 in what was actually his best season to date.
Still, it wasn’t enough for the Jets to believe in Wilson for the long haul, and they shipped him off to the Broncos.
Zach Wilson definitely showed flashes in 2023, but he wasn’t able to do it consistently. We’ll see if maybe he can carve out a future somewhere.
At least Sauce Gardner has hope for him.
