The New York Jets traded away quarterback Zach Wilson on Monday, ending his lackluster tenure with the organization that drafted him out of college three years ago.
The 24-year-old is headed for Denver, which needed help at the position after Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson signed with the Pittsburgh Steelers in March.
NFL Network reporter Ian Rapoport posted on social media that the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft had been traded for a late-round draft pick in this week’s draft.
Additionally, the Jets offered to eat up some of Wilson’s remaining salary for the coming season – a sum of more than $5 million.
“Sources say he’s being traded to the #Broncos, hoping for a fresh start,” Rapoport reported.
🚨 🚨 🚨
Former #Jets starting QB and No. 2 pick Zach Wilson is on the move. Sources say he’s being traded to the #Broncos, hoping for a fresh start.
The deal includes a late-round pick swap (6th for a 7th) and NYJ will pay some of Wilson’s roughly $5.5M salary. pic.twitter.com/7Y1KShZ3sg
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2024
ESPN reported the Jets received the 203rd pick in the draft (a sixth-rounder) in exchange for Wilson and a seventh-round pick (No. 256).
Neither team involved in the trade nor Wilson had commented on the news publicly as of early Monday afternoon.
It is expected that Tyrod Taylor will back up Jets quarterback Aaron Rodgers this fall when the 2024 NFL season begins. The team signed Taylor in March.
Wilson was one part of a quarterback carousel that tried to steer the Jets to the postseason this past season after Rodgers went down just four snaps into his tenure in New York.
The BYU alum began his career with the Jets as the starter, but last season he lost the job to Rodgers -- a veteran former league MVP with a Super Bowl ring from his time in Green Bay.
Rodgers ruptured his Achilles on the first drive of his Jets career.
Wilson started 11 games in 2023 but was inconsistent. Although he was praised at times late in the season, he mostly drew the ire of fans.
For the season, Wilson threw eight touchdown passes compared with seven interceptions.
In three years with the Jets, he had 23 touchdown passes versus 25 interceptions.
In Denver, Wilson will compete for the starting job with quarterbacks Jarett Stidham and Ben DiNucci.
The Broncos are still on the hook for much of Wilson’s huge contract -- $37.8 million this season, per Sports Illustrated \-- after releasing the former Seattle Seahawk in March.
