Broncos Urged to Acquire Former No. 2 Overall QB by NFL.com

Does this sound like the quarterback solution the Denver Broncos desperately need?

Nov 24, 2023; East Rutherford, New Jersey, USA; New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson (2) warms up / Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

NFL.com's Bucky Brooks tossed a hand grenade into the ranks of Broncos Country on Friday, and fans won't like it one bit. Brooks has been busy identifying potential landing spots for on-the-outs New York Jets quarterback Zach Wilson.

Brooks circled the Denver Broncos as a potential fit for Wilson. While it would be an unpopular move within Broncos Country, it would tick several boxes for the struggling 24-year-old signal caller.

Despite coming off of a bumpy season managing Russell Wilson, Sean Payton has an outstanding reputation as an offensive wizard/quarterback developer. The grizzled veteran worked wonders with Drew Brees in New Orleans and a young Tony Romo in Dallas, and he squeezed some notable production out of Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill and Jameis Winston during their brief stints as starters under his direction.



Denver might draft a quarterback, but Payton could give Wilson an opportunity to compete for a starting job with Jarrett Stidham while teaching him how to play winning football at the position. Though the Broncos' overall talent level is not currently up to par, the presence of Courtland Sutton, an improving ground game and a playing style built around complementary football could alleviate some of the pressure on the young quarterback to carry the team.



If Wilson can handle Payton's hard-nosed coaching and tough love approach, he could maximize his potential under an offensive-minded tutor who understands the position and how to build around the strengths of his quarterback's game.

- Bucky Brooks

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Brooks' match-making between Sean Payton and Wilson — a former top 5 draft pick — is a 10,000-foot analysis driven by a perceived necessity. It's indisputable that Payton and company are taking a massive risk by riding into the draft with career backup Jarrett Stidham sitting atop Denver's depleted quarterback depth chart.

April 25 could see the Broncos make a seismic addition under center, but holding the No. 12 overall pick, landing Michigan's J.J. McCarthy, for example, is beginning to look like a fading pipedream. It's understandable why a national analyst like Brooks would be a bit anxious about Denver's less-than-encouraging quarterback situation.

Wilson would be a reclamation project for Payton and Broncos QBs coach Davis Webb. It could be an opportunity Payton might relish, and acquiring the former No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft wouldn't cost much.

After all, Payton has helped so many quarterbacks develop their careers through the years, with Brees at the forefront, obviously, but also names like the aforementioned Winston and Hill also springing to mind.

Wilson was eaten up by the toxic pressure of playing in the New York fish bowl at far too young an age. The Big Apple presents a brutal flashbulb-driven market, where any shortcomings are gleefully identified by the press and posterized on all the front pages.

Clearly, Brooks has some sane rationale behind his matchmaking, especially if Wilson were to embrace Payton's hard-nosed coaching style. Therein lies the rub. Simply put, could Wilson swallow his pride and rebuild his career?

Wilson is certainly not the only quarterback dealing with plummeting stock from the 2021 draft class. The former BYU star knows he has to reboot his career rather quickly, or his 'bust' label will become permanent.

Wilson has some football IQ to fall back on, he can make flashy throws, and has good mobility to make plays with his legs. Unfortunately, adversity swallowed him up in New York City, but it's worth noting that he's already managed to overcome a childhood diagnosis of (ADHD) to become a pro.

Alas, fleeting glimpses of potential are hard to build a quarterback empire on, even if you happen to be a highly acclaimed quarterback whisperer like Payton. And since 2016, the Broncos have been down the road of trying to salvage various quarterback reclamation projects and retreads.

None of them have panned out.

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