Zach Wilson’s arm got him to the NFL, but he’s also got the pipes to play quarterback at this level.
Sean Payton felt comfortable enough with Zach Wilson to issue him a good-natured challenge late in the Broncos’ preseason opener Sunday in Indianapolis. It led to the game-winning touchdown.
“I like the way he played and you felt it on the sidelines. You felt experience, just poise,” Payton said. “Even in the timeout when we were going to try and draw them offsides, I was giving him a hard time. ‘Can your squeaky voice get these guys offside?’ Just challenge him. I’d never heard his hard count, so let’s see.”
Mission accomplished. Wilson did draw Colts defender Eric Johnson offside to give the Broncos a first down. Blake Watson scored on the next play with six minutes remaining, a touchdown that proved vital in a 34-30 victory.
Wilson is in a very different place here in Denver, on a number of levels. He’s no longer the potential franchise savior. He’s no longer the guy whose every step is overanalyzed.
These days, he’s just a guy in a three-way quarterback battle. One of the other guys, rookie Bo Nix, is in Wilson’s old position.
“New team, new start,” Wilson said after the game Sunday. “I’m just trying to do the best I can, put our team in the best situation and I thought we had a lot of fun out there.”
Nix is the future of the franchise. Jarrett Stidham has a year playing for Payton and the Broncos. That might make Wilson a long shot, but being nearly 2,000 miles away (and figuratively about a million miles) from the chaos of his tenure with the New York Jets does appear to suit him well.
His stat line, albeit in the second half against backups, was impressive in his Broncos debut. Wilson completed 10 of 13 passes for 117 yards. He led the Broncos to a pair of touchdowns during his five drives and also helped salt away the final 4:11 after the Colts had scored to pull within four points.
“I felt his reps in the game were really good,” Payton said. “Number one, there is a poise because he’s been there and then I felt like he was real comfortable. We were in and out of the huddle. There were no clock issues. All of that was smooth.
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“But then his decision making — he’s aggressive. I like that he’s going to take shots. He’s got a good live arm. I thought he had a real good game. I’m encouraged. I like what I’m seeing.”
Both Wilson and Stidham are competing with Nix in the short term, but either could also be auditioning for their next chance somewhere else. When people start to make lists for the Vikings now that rookie J.J. McCarthy is going to miss the entire season with a knee injury, the two Broncos who weren’t the club’s first-round pick are certain to be on them.
Payton praised all three after the game in Indianapolis, but he went in-depth on what he’s liked about Wilson. It’s certainly been a different experience here than in New York.
“What I feel like I’ve tried to do this entire training camp so far is go out there and do my best every single day and cut it loose,” Wilson said. “Whatever happens, happens.”
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