Pre-season predictions can either age like wine, or like milk. But this does not stop analysts from taking a shot in the dark. Now, an NFL insider has taken it further up a notch as he has listed down ‘non-negotiables’ for the AFC West division. That’s part of it. And the other part is him calling the Denver Broncos‘ new QB Zach Wilson a ‘unique project’.

Listing down his ‘non-negotiables’ for the teams in the AFC West on the Rich Eisen Show, on 20th July, Tom Pelissero said he likes Wilson’s trade to Denver. The pretext of this conversation arises as the reporter talks about how he sees Bo Nix to be ‘the guy’ for the Orange Crush. But Tom admitted that Sean Payton has got his hands full for the upcoming season, with a three-way battle for the starting QB. “It’s hard to imagine that Bo Nix is not the starting quarterback. Jarrett Stidham, though, has played in that offense. Of course, got Zach Wilson, which is a really unique project.”

It’s not that Tom has thrown a random spanner of words around the mill. Nor has he picked his favorite to be Wilson. He just believes in Zach’s potential. But for him to hone his skills on the gridiron, Payton must give him time. “I actually like the move for Sean Payton, you know. Give it a shot. This was the number two pick three years ago. He [Zach] is a really talented thrower of the football. It’s been the consistency. It’s been the catastrophic errors that’s what’s gotten Zach Wilson down,” Tom said.

Well, there’s some weight to what the NFL Network reporter is saying. Wilson was a top quarterback prospect in the 2021 NFL draft coming out of BYU. His numbers also reflect why the New York Jets selected him second overall. As a junior in 2020, Wilson threw for 3,692 yards, with 33 touchdowns and only three interceptions in 12 games. Helping the Cougars to a 10–1 regular season mark. And the hard work paid off. Zach was the second of five QBs taken in the first round and the highest drafted from BYU.

So, what went wrong? As Tom mentioned, it is a mixture of both – inconsistency and catastrophic errors. In three years with the Jets, he threw two more interceptions (25) than touchdowns (23). Not just that! His record stands at 13-21 in 35 games he started. You can say that the failures have been self-inflicted by Zach.

But, a young man with a gifted arm, picked second overall, surely there is more to it than just him ‘underperforming’. Don’t you think? Well, there is. He did not feel like a part of the ‘Gang Green’.

Zach Wilson felt abandoned by Aaron Rodgers

One of the statements made by Tom on The Rich Eisen Show stands clear of the rest. Defending Zach Wilson’s past seasons’ struggles with the Jets, he said the ideal situation for him is not to step on the gridiron for the Orange Crush in 2024. “Every day Sean Payton is on him about the things he can do better and maybe we see a better Zach Wilson somewhere down the line. I don’t think rolling him out there in week one is likely. Frankly, I don’t know that it’s necessarily the best thing for Zach Wilson. That’s what he was supposed to have last year, remember? The plan was that he was not supposed to play!” But guess what? He did.

No one could have predicted Aaron Rodgers‘ season-ending injury. Imagine weighing A-Rod’s baton on your shoulders. That was young Zach Wilson’s reality last season. But there’s more. According to Zack Rosenblatt and Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Wilson’s feelings toward Rodgers grew bitter over the 2023 season. Wilson and some teammates reportedly “grew tired” of head coach Robert Saleh’s constant admiration for Rodgers. This spurred because Wilson expected a direct line of conversation with Rodgers, even after his injury. Rather, he felt abandoned when he “barely heard from” the veteran QB.

You might be thinking, “Cut the man some slack, he tore his Achilles!” Nonetheless, Wilson stepped in to wear the cleats. But they might have been a size or two bigger for his feet. While he led the Jets to a Week 1 win over the Bills, he struggled overall. Wilson started 11 of 12 games, going 4-7, with a 60.1% completion rate, throwing 2,271 yards with 8 TDs and 7 INTs. It was not enough!

Saleh didn’t publicly blame Wilson for the team’s struggles, but it was clear as he was benched for Tim Boyle after a Week 15 loss. Even Rodgers could not hold back and spoke up. At the time, he tried to take the media attention away from Wilson. Speaking on the Pat MacAffee Show, on 21st November 2023, he said, “I have some personal guilt around the whole thing. I’m pissed I wasn’t able to play and frustrated. If I was out there, I’d feel like we were playing well. There would obviously be different narratives about our team and Zach would have the opportunity to learn and grow and see what it looks like without the pressure on and being able to sit in those meetings and go through the season and just watch me and my process.”

Eventually, Saleh changed his mind. After informing him that he would be traded, he asked Wilson to prepare to play. But Wilson refused! And the worst possible scenarios came knocking down the Jets’ doorway. The refusal went viral. All the back-and-forth happened and even Rodgers tried to convince him otherwise, but nothing to it. The 24-year-old QB had made his mind up.

Zach Wilson, now the same age as Nix and Penix, joins the Broncos in a low-cost deal involving a pick swap. While not initially inspiring, it’s certainly not a bad move.

As Wilson swaps green with orange, much rests on his shoulders, but he’s under the guidance of Sean Payton. With the right attitude and eagerness to learn, could this be a turning point for the young quarterback? Time will tell.