As the NFL trade deadline approaches, the Denver Broncos may find themselves with an unexpected asset in third-string quarterback and former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson.
With the Nov. 5 deadline drawing near, Wilson could become appealing to teams looking for a dependable backup. This is a surprising development for a player many believed might not even make the Broncos’ 53-man roster.
Wilson ranks as the No. 5 trade target in the NFL ahead of Week 4, with the New York Giants from the NFC East being a potential landing spot.
So far this season, Wilson hasn’t been active but has served as Denver’s emergency third quarterback behind rookie Bo Nix and veteran Jarrett Stidham. The Giants currently have Daniel Jones as their starter, who is seen as a lame-duck option.
Knox noted, “Nix’s grip on the starting role is more secure than it was last week, making Zach Wilson expendable if the right trade offer comes along. Wilson is similar to (Bryce) Young— a first-round pick with more potential than proven results, but he has more experience and should have a lower asking price.”
Broncos’ Acquisition of Zach Wilson
If another team is interested in Wilson, it could help the Broncos regain what they invested in hima 2024 sixth-round pick acquired from the New York Jets in the offseason, along with a seventh-round pick.
General manager George Paton has expressed confidence that Wilson will be a starter again in the NFL. “He has all the traits of a starter. He’s still working through some things,” Paton said in late August, according to the Denver Gazette. “You could see the potential last week in the game against the Cardinals. He has one of the best arms in the league, and I believe he’ll be a starter in this league.”
The 2021 NFL Draft is infamous for the failures of first-round quarterbacks. Of the five taken, only Trevor Lawrence, the No. 1 pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars, remains with his original team, having recently signed a five-year, $275 million contract extension.
Wilson, the No. 2 pick, is with the Broncos, while Trey Lance, the No. 3 pick by the San Francisco 49ers, is now a third-stringer with the Dallas Cowboys. Justin Fields, picked 11th by the Chicago Bears, has become the starter for the Steelers, and Mac Jones, the 15th pick by the New England Patriots, is now backing up Lawrence in Jacksonville.
Although Lawrence is the only quarterback still with his original team, his struggles this season suggest he might be next in line to be considered a bust; the Jaguars are off to an 0-3 start, and Lawrence ranks 25th in the NFL with an average of just 186.6 passing yards per game.
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