Jets trading Zach Wilson to Broncos
The Jets are trading quarterback Zach Wilson to the Denver Broncos, SNY's Connor Hughes confirms.
The deal will include a pick swap in the 2024 NFL Draft, with the Jets dealing their seventh-rounder (No. 256) for Denver's sixth-rounder (No. 203).
GM Joe Douglas said last week that the team was having discussions about dealing Wilson -- an update that came roughly two months after the Jets gave Wilson and his agent permission to seek a trade.
That Wilson's time in New York is over is an unsurprising development, given the direction of the Jets and how the 2023 season played out for him.
Wilson was called into action last season following the season-ending Achilles injury to Aaron Rodgers, and -- while Wilson didn't perform particularly well over the course of the year -- he was also yanked back and forth from a starting role to the bench.
Toward the end of the season, Wilson was thrust back into the starting job following an injury to Tim Boyle, and wound up suffering a head injury during that week's game against the Miami Dolphins.
Even before things went awry late last season, the writing had been on the wall when it came to the expected end of Wilson's time in New York.
With Rodgers under center in 2024 and perhaps 2025, Wilson was not viewed as the answer at quarterback once Rodgers retires/is no longer a Jet, and Wilson was also not an ideal fit as Rodgers' backup.
Wilson, 24, is set to enter the fourth year of his rookie deal, which comes with a cap hit of $11.1 million.
His fifth-year option, which was not exercised, has a cap hit of $22.4 million.
During three seasons with the Jets, Wilson had a 12-21 record, and threw 23 touchdowns to 25 interceptions.
He had the best completion percentage (60.1 percent) of his career in 2023, but that came with his lowest-ever yards gained per completion (10.3).
Earlier this offseason, the Jets added veteran backup Tyrod Taylor. And with the draft three days away, they could possibly select a quarterback in the middle rounds who can sit and learn behind the future Hall-of-Famer -- something Wilson didn't have the opportunity to do.
