Broncos QB Zach Wilson shows why he should start season as Bo Nix’s backup

Orange is the new Zach.

On a lazy Sunday afternoon, Zach Wilson, once the savior of the Jets, played all but one drive in the final preseason game. This is duty reserved for the likes of Logan Woodside, Nathan Peterman and Dresser Winn.

Never heard of them? Exactly.

Under normal circumstances, this would represent the abyss for a No. 2 overall pick, akin to “Twilight” heartthrob Taylor Lautner reduced to doing backflips in a Taylor Swift video.

But Wilson made a strong case to serve as Bo Nix’s backup with two touchdowns, including a 46-yard, fourth-quarter scoring strike to Brandon Johnson.

It’s unclear whether coach Sean Payton wants Wilson as his reserve clause. Jarrett Stidham, who has had a pedestrian preseason, is the safe pick to play behind Nix. I asked Payton if finances would figure into the decision — they could save $5 million if they cut Stidham — and he responded, “No.”

“I think I have told you before,” Payton continued, “I see all three making it.”

There is overwhelming evidence and upside for Wilson to stay. The Broncos represent football rehab for the former top prospect. Wilson, 25, failed in his first stop. Mention his name to a New York Jets fan and they retreat to the fetal position. The Broncos, after weeks of haggling, acquired the former BYU star and a seventh-round pick for a sixth-round selection. He provided insurance if they were unable to land Nix in the draft.

Wilson has not been revived, that is a longer project, but he has been rejuvenated.

“We all want to play,” Wilson said. “We all want to be on the team.”

Wilson creates a visceral reaction the same way candy cotton and roller coasters do. He is fun. During one memorable stretch Sunday, he rolled out and delivered a 23-yard laser to receiver David Sills V, connected on a 19-yarder with tight end Nate Adkins, showed patience with a hesitation step on a 21-yard run and threw a sidearm pass into an edge rusher’s stomach.

Wilson is not a quarterback. He is an experience.

Payton’s aim has been to get him paid, either in Denver or with another club. On Wednesday when the coach announced Nix as the starter, the first rookie to pull off the feat since John Elway in 1983, he let everyone know that Wilson was on some kind of heater in practice.

Sunday, Payton let Zach cook.

He zipped the ball around the yard, including a 37-yard completion to Johnson down the sideline that set up his third scoring drive. Which brings me to the other reason Wilson’s a keeper. He can make throws the other two cannot. Or won’t. In baseball parlance, he features easy cheese, firing darts with a flick of the wrist.

“You are right, he does throw a fastball.” said Johnson, who watched his father, Charles, catch such pitches for the Rockies growing up. “He’s just a good football player.”

Wilson made roughly five throws Sunday that eloquently explain why he would never clear waivers. ESPN analyst Dan Orlovsky tweeted in real time, “Should be the No. 2 in Denver.” The Athletic’s Chase Daniel, who was a backup for Payton with the New Orleans Saints, declared, “Zach Wilson is absolutely balling. He’s earned the No. 2 job somewhere.”

For all his transgressions in New York — he deserves some grace for having to play in Nathaniel Hackett’s leather-helmet-inspired offense last season — Wilson would be an upgrade in multiple quarterback rooms around the league.

Don’t believe it? Did you see Dallas’ Trey Lance throw five interceptions on Saturday?

There are 32 teams and 66 quarterbacks started last season. In 2022, the number was 68. The backup matters. Stidham is the khaki pants option, conservative and pedestrian. Few turnovers and even fewer touchdowns.

Wilson is the bomber jacket. Maybe even with a nickname stitched on it. He is playing smarter, growing comfortable in Payton’s offense that has provided him avenues to use his athleticism and find easy completions with roll-outs and one-side reads.

As the Broncos extended their advantage to 14-0, Wilson showed toughness on a dive toward the pylon before lobbing a 1-yard score to Adkins on the next play. Later he held onto the ball too long and took a punishing hit, and then fired into a defender’s outstretched arm. There is still some Jets blood in Wilson. He can look like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde your eyes.

But there is clearly enough potential to move forward. He went 16 of 25 for 251 yards and two touchdowns on Sunday. Payton was pleased with how he ran the offense, the pace – there was plenty of time on the play clock when reaching the line of scrimmage – and how he threw the ball away when necessary.

Wilson finished the preseason 28 for 48 for 397 yards.

He should have good numbers as a former starter going against backups, though playing behind a leaky backup offensive line leveled the playing field a bit. I get it. This is about projection. About Wilson finding a fit in his second chance.

Wilson spent part of Saturday hanging out at the BMW Championship at Castle Pines with a buddy. He even high-fived local star Wyndham Clark as he came off the course. Wilson walked through the crowd virtually unbothered. In an ideal world, he would remain unseen this season as Nix starts 17 games.

That, though, is not realistic. It is why it makes sense to keep Wilson as the backup. As the preseason proved, Wilson in orange and blue will not spawn red faces.

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Originally Published: August 25, 2024 at 7:50 p.m.