Zach Wilson has been traded from the New York Jets to the Denver Broncos just days before the 2024 NFL Draft. Will this ultimately change their draft plans or is it a mere battle for the backup position with Jarret Stidham?
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— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) April 22, 2024
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
On the surface, it seems that this trade might be as simple as this. Wilson needed a fresh start and the Broncos virtually lost nothing of significant value for a dart throw that Sean Payton might be able to resurrect. Once the #2 overall pick of the 2021 Draft, you can see where the upside could be enticing. However, I don't personally believe this is an all-or-nothing type of trade nor should it detour the course set in motion leading into Thursday night in Detroit.
So what does this mean for Denver in this upcoming draft?
— Dianna Russini (@DMRussini) April 22, 2024
Expect the Broncos to continue working behind the scenes to see if they have enough to move up in the draft for a QB, otherwise all other options are on the table .
I was told this front office is exploring it all.
Denver has been rumored for the better part of a month to be in talks with teams in the upper part of the draft about what the price might be to acquire said pick. However, with other teams such as Minnesota, Las Vegas, and the other New York team, the Giants, also involving themselves in the same conversations, one would simply have to ask themselves if Denver has the ammunition to move up. While down in Orlando at the NFL Owners' meetings, Sean Payton had made statements that moving up wasn't out of the realm of possibility.
Takeaways from Sean Payton's meeting with reports at league meeting in Orlando:
— Nick Kosmider (@NickKosmider) March 25, 2024
• Said trading up into top three of the draft is "realistic."
• Team held private workout/meeting with JJ McCarthy last week
• Said Jarrett Stidham will compete for starting job
With all that said, does trading for Zach Wilson three days away from the draft show what the Broncos might be up to? Will they still look to add a quarterback in the first round of the draft? Does moving up with the added costs of trading multiple picks make sense now after acquiring a talented but flawed former top pick? Time will tell as the clock for Denver's new era under Sean Payton is on the cusp of year two.