Denver Broncos Make Bold Decision With Quarterback Zach Wilson

The 2024 NFL offseason has been a busy one for the Denver Broncos when it comes to the quarterback position. They have overhauled their depth chart, as head coach Sean Payton was on a mission to find someone who fits what he is looking for under center.

The team moved on from veteran Russell Wilson only two years after acquiring him in a blockbuster trade with the Seattle Seahawks. The team is taking on a record amount of dead money but left a huge void at the position.

Coming into the offseason it was Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci on the depth chart. The first move they made was acquiring Zach Wilson from the New York Jets in a trade. In the 2024 NFL Draft, they used their first-round pick, No. 12 overall, on Bo Nix out of Oregon.

With Nix now in the mix, the Broncos have announced a major decision with Wilson. They are now planning to decline the fifth-year option on his contract, according to sources via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.

Wilson was acquired as added competition for the starting quarterback job, but it makes sense that his fifth-year option has been declined. It would have cost the Broncos $22.048 million to exercise it. Now that it has been declined, Wilson will be hitting free agency during the 2025 NFL offseason.

The deadline to make a decision on fifth-year options for players selected in the 2021 NFL Draft is Thursday. The Broncos had another one to make on star cornerback Pat Surtain II, which was an easy decision to pick up.

Despite Nix being added in the first, Payton has said that all his quarterbacks will have a chance to earn the starting job. “They’re all going to compete,” Payton has said.

Things have not panned out well for Wilson to this point. The No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft by the Jets, he has not come close to the expectations placed on him. In three seasons, he has completed 57 percent of his passes for 6,293 yards with 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions.

He made 34 appearances, with 33 starts, going 12-21. His lack of production is a big reason the Jets haven’t been able to snap their playoff drought in recent seasons despite possessing an elite defense.