For Zach Wilson, his offseason split with the Jets and move to Denver was “bittersweet.”
“Of course, there are bittersweet moments in everything.” Wilson on Thursday. “I’m grateful for the experience and the guys I had there. I’ll miss the guys there and everything. But at the same time, a fresh start is good. I’m looking forward to taking on a new challenge,” he said in his first comments since being traded in April.
The Jets traded him to the Broncos this offseason to give Wilson, their No. 2 overall draft pick in 2021, a fresh start after a once-promising relationship didn’t work out as expected.
The 24-year-old Wilson hasn’t played well when given the chance, throwing just 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions in 34 games (33 starts), including eight touchdowns and seven interceptions last year.
His passing success rate was just 57 percent.
The Jets also failed to provide a stable environment for Wilson during his time with the team due to offensive line issues and a disappointing offensive coordinator.
The Jets tried to promote the idea of Wilson learning as Aaron Rodgers’ backup, but the idea always seemed more like a best-case scenario than reality.
Then, just four plays into the season, Rodgers ruptured his Achilles tendon, forcing Wilson to struggle and be benched for the second straight year.
The Jets ended up trading Wilson for a pittance, receiving a seventh-round pick in exchange for a sixth-round pick.
“I think you learn the most when things don’t go your way all the time,” Wilson said, “so you get those experiences and you learn from them and you learn a lot through three tough years of experience, so I’m going to carry that experience with me going forward.”
Wilson likely wouldn’t have had a path to starting for the Jets without the opportunity, but he at least has a chance to be the Broncos’ starting quarterback.
The Broncos are hoping first-round draft pick Bo Nix can become the franchise quarterback they’ve lacked in recent years, but it’s not uncommon for rookies to be benched at the start of the year.
Veteran Jarrett Stidham is also being considered as a candidate.
“Personally, I think competition brings out the best in everyone, so I’m excited to see what’s to come,” Wilson said. “I’m grateful to the ownership from the top down for giving me the opportunity to compete here.”
Wilson said his short time with his new team has been “great” and that he’s excited to work with Sean Payton, who was known for his scathing criticism of former Jets offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett.
“Obviously, he’s been great for as long as I can remember,” Wilson said of Payton. “I loved watching him and Drew (Brees) play back in the day. I loved the efficiency, the consistency, the explosiveness they had offensively and the way they just took whatever the defense gave them. I want to continue to grow and learn from him every day.”
