The New York Jets moved on from quarterback Sam Darnold, the third overall draft pick in 2018, to select Zach Wilson with the second pick three years later. Another three years have gone by, and Wilson is now with the Denver Broncos. Wilson's tenure with Gang Green was an utter failure, as he ranks near the bottom in just about every QB stat since the start of his NFL career.
After the Jets acquired Aaron Rodgers last year, Wilson was, of course, demoted to the backup role. But Rodgers tore his Achilles on the fourth play of the team's first game of the season, putting Wilson right back in the starter's role. Wilson was benched, then returned, then got hurt — it was almost a carbon copy of 2022, when he was demoted for poor play and bad PR, then returned, and was benched again because playing in a meaningless game was more of a risk than a benefit .
Obviously, there’s bittersweet moments in everything,' Wilson said Thursday in his first comments since the trade. 'I was grateful for my experiences there and the guys. I miss the guys out there and everything, too. But at the same time, a fresh start is good. I’m excited to attack a new challenge.' 'I feel like you learn the most when things don’t always go the best,' he added.
Wilson will be battling with Bo Nix, the No. 12 overall pick from Oregon, and Jarrett Stidham after Denver parted ways with Russell Wilson in the offseason. Follow Fox News Digital’s sports coverage on X, and subscribe to the Fox News Sports Huddle newsletter.