Zach Wilson is finally getting his fresh start

The New York Jets and QB Zach Wilson split ways after three seasons with the struggling team. Wilson was drafted second overall by the Jets and immediately had a shaky start that would end in disaster as he started to lose the locker room. The 13-21 record and inconsistent play made it clear that he wasn't going to last here.

The arrival of Aaron Rodgers made it seem like Wilson would have some hope by learning from one of the best. However, Rodgers would be injured in his first game leaving Wilson to once again take the lead. Now, the young QB has the chance to prove that he wasn't the problem in New York as he begins his stint with the Denver Broncos.

Zach Wilson has a solid preseason showing

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Wilson was the third quarterback to see the field in the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. Jarrett Stidham would get the first call, and rookie QB Bo Nix would follow. It would be Wilson's job to close out the game and finish it he did. No. 4 didn't throw any passing touchdowns, but he got the team in position for multiple runs.

His first setup for a TD run was a pass to Hunter Kampmoyer for 14 yards. Tyler Badie would get the ball on the next play and run it for an 11-yard touchdown to put the Broncos up by 10. Indianapolis would fight back and cut the lead to three with a touchdown of their own.

Thanks to a fumble at the Colt's 19, a quick pass and some short runs led to another TD that ended up being essential to seal the game. The Colts would manage to score one more, but it wouldn't be enough to take the lead away from Denver.

Will Wilson get the starting job?

The short and sweet answer to this question is no. Zach Wilson won't be tossing the pigskin in a starting position for the Denver Broncos with Bo Nix in town. The Broncos grabbed Nix 12th overall in the 2024 NFL draft. He did well in his final year at the University of Oregon, finishing with 4508 yards and a 77.4 pass completion average. Everyone will expect him to take the lead here.

What's important, though, is that Wilson shows promise in these preseason games. He needs to catch the eyes of other teams who might view him as a better starter than who they have or a solid backup. Wilson is the better option in comparison to Jarrett Stidham, but one of them will most likely not be a Denver Bronco all season.

What to look for in his next game

Wilson is probably going to find himself in the same position against the Green Bay Packers. One can expect them to follow the same order in Stidham, Nix, and then Wilson. Look for No. 4 to try and beat the 117 passing yards from the last game. Passing TDs won't be important if Wilson can just guide them down the field far enough for them to punch it in.

Being the finisher in these games is a great opportunity. The team is putting trust in Wilson's game. There's a lot of pressure being put on him right now as he tries to put the Jets in the rearview and revive his career. If he can separate his name from those first three seasons, he could have a shot at being a starter again somewhere.

Article originally written by Elizabeth Della Piana