Sean Payton heaps praise on former first-round pick fighting for a spot

The Denver Broncos struck a trade earlier in the 2024 offseason to acquire quarterback Zach Wilson from the New York Jets for a late-round draft pick. The Broncos added Wilson before the 2024 NFL Draft where they selected quarterback Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick. Despite the optics of the trade, the Broncos don't view Wilson as a lost cause like many NFL pundits and analysts.

Frankly, the New York Jets couldn't have traded him to many better situations than this one.

Wilson, the 2nd overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, is extremely talented. The Broncos got him on a reduced contract worth $2.75 million and the hope in acquiring him is to combine that talent with good decision making and execution within Sean Payton's offense. The early returns this offseason didn't seem like they were great, but the Broncos got themselves a pretty strong debut from Wilson against the Indianapolis Colts in the preseason opener.

Zach Wilson impresses in Denver Broncos preseason debut

Although the focus right now is pretty squarely on Bo Nix, the presumptive starter of this team, Wilson is off on a good foot in terms of rehabilitating his overall value. Head coach Sean Payton took some time after practice on August 14 to give Wilson his due credit.

“I felt his reps in the game were really good. No. 1, there’s a poise because he’s been there. I felt like he was real comfortable. Again, we were in and out of the huddle and there were no clock issue. All of that was smooth, but then his decision making and he’s aggressive. I like that he’s going to take shots, and he’s got a good live arm. I thought he had a real good game and I’m encouraged. I like what I’m seeing. That’s one of the pluses about bringing someone like him in here. That position is so important. The focus on [QB] Bo [Nix] understandably so is when you draft a quarterback in the first round—every one of us recognizes the significance of getting that position settled and having [someone at] that position who we feel like we can win with. When that is unsettled, it’s tough on your team. I liked the way that he played. You felt it on the sidelines. You felt experience and just poise. Even in the timeout where we were going to try to draw them offsides, I gave him a hard time. ‘Can your squeaky voice get these guys offside?’ Like I—just challenging him, ‘I’ve never heard your hard count yet. Let’s see.’ So he did it. It’s a good group to work with and I know the offensive coaches feel that way. I feel that way. I like where we’re at right now and that’s encouraging for our team. Because when that’s unsettled and maybe not as far along, then there’s a lot of things you can do well and yet the team sees there’s a ceiling maybe on what you can do.”

Sean Payton (via Broncos PR)

Anytime Payton gives a quote that long in a press conference, you know it's something he feels passionately about. And frankly, Zach Wilson is a player he does feel passionately about. Payton was asked way earlier in the offseason which quarterback he feels is the most unfairly hated in the NFL, and Wilson's name was the first one that came up.

The Broncos worked on this trade with the New York Jets for over a month before it actually ended up happening so there's clearly a commitment to the process when it comes to rehabilitating his overall value. And it seems the Broncos are bought into that.

Hopefully, we'll see Wilson continue to play well in the preseason for the Broncos and he can find a way to realize his tremendous potential