Zach Wilson leads the Broncos’ backups to a 38-12 win over the Cardinals in preseason finale

Zach Wilson jumpstarted a touchdown drive with a 21-yard scramble and threw a 46-yard TD pass to Brandon Johnson as the Denver Broncos wrapped up a perfect preseason with a 38-12 walloping of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

Jarrett Stidham started for Denver (3-0) and directed a touchdown drive capped by rookie running back Audric Estime’s 3-yard score on his only possession before joining newly-named starter Bo Nix on the sideline as Wilson got his most extensive action of the summer.

Wilson, the former second overall draft pick by the Jets in 2021, has 33 career NFL starts and that experience showed when he sparked an 11-play, 77-yard touchdown drive with an impressive scramble from his own 13 on second-and-20. He finished that drive with a 1-yard touchdown toss to tight end Nate Atkins that gave Denver a 14-0 lead.

Wilson’s 1-yard keeper capped an 88-yard drive that made it 24-6 in the third quarter and he found Johnson from 46 yards out with 6:22 remaining.

Wilson finished 16 of 25 for 251 yards, two TDs and no interceptions.

Broncos coach Sean Payton would prefer to keep all three QBs on his 53-man roster Tuesday, but that might depend on Stidham taking a paycut from his $5 million salary.

Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder split snaps in their final audition to serve as Kyler Murray’s backup in Arizona (0-3). Tune was 12 of 18 for 119 yards with no touchdowns, an interceptions and a pair of sacks by Jordan Jackson.

Ridder was 10 of 16 for 111 yards in relief of Tune when he went to the medical tent in the closing minutes following a hard hit. Tune went back in and on his first snap threw an interception that linebacker Levelle Bailey returned 96 yards for a touchdown.

Denver DB Kedron Smith recorded his third takeaway of the preseason when he recovered Tony Jones Jr.’s fumble at the Denver 3. Jones was knocked from the game with a shoulder injury on the play.

Matt Prater’s 50-yarder as the first half expired made it 14-3. He tacked on a 24-yarder and Haassan Hall accounted for Arizona’s only touchdown with a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter that made it 24-12. The 2-point try was unsuccessful.

Injuries

Denver DB Damarri Mathis, who started 17 games over the last two seasons, injured his right ankle on a tackle on the game’s second play from scrimmage and was carted off. Broncos LB Durell Nchami left the game with a pulled hamstring. Cardinals CBs Divaad Wilson (wrist), Elijah Jones (ankle) and Darren Hall (hip) all got hurt and Cardinals TE Sage Surratt (ankle) left in the third quarter. O-lineman Christian Jones was carted off in the waning minutes with an unspecified injury.

Up next

Cardinals: Regular-season opener Sept. 8 at Buffalo.

Seahawks: Regular-season opener Sept. 8 at Seattle.

By ARNIE STAPLETON