Grading Broncos’ Zach Wilson trade: Key component of deal going overlooked

If you were scouring social media following the Denver Broncos’ acquisition of quarterback Zach Wilson, you were likely met with some not-so-nice words for the 24-year-old. It was clear that most of Broncos Country was not happy about the deal.

There are many different takes out there but the one below, from former Broncos safety Nick Ferguson, really hits the nail on the head. 

What do you think about the Broncos trading for QB Zach Wilson? 🤔 @NickFerguson_25: “I like it because Zach (Wilson) is still a young quarterback. He has talent.” 💯

𝗔𝗿𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮 𝗳𝗮𝗻 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗹𝘀𝗼𝗻 𝗮𝗰𝗾𝘂𝗶𝘀𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻? ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/FxLnp8Vxrh

— KOA 850 AM & 94.1 FM (@KOAColorado) April 22, 2024First of all, the Broncos gave up next to nothing to make this deal happen. They received Wilson and a seventh-round pick (No. 256 overall) for a sixth-round pick (No. 207 overall). There is very little risk in a move like that. In addition, it is the Jets that are going to pay $5.5 million of Wilson’s salary. 

Furthermore, it adds another young arm to the Broncos’ quarterback room and provides legitimate competition to Jarrett Stidham if the Broncos don’t add a quarterback through the draft. 

But for those fans afraid that this takes the Broncos out of the quarterback conversation in the draft, that is absolutely not the case. What it does do is allow the Broncos to not have to be so desperate in the draft. Desperate would be drafting a guy like Bo Nix or Michael Penix Jr. at No. 12 overall. 

The fact that the Broncos lack a second-round pick in this draft has been rearing its ugly head for months. It is a big deal and for this draft to be the home-run process that the Broncos need it to, they need to find a way to get a second-round pick. 

Trading for Wilson gives them the flexibility to do that. 

The move for the Broncos in this draft has always been to trade back. Nix and Penix Jr. are not No. 12 overall-type prospects. But getting one of them in the second round would be solid value. 

If the Broncos were to trade back in the first round, acquire a second-round pick, select someone like Brock Bowers or Laiatu Latu in the first round, and then get a quarterback in the second round, that is far and away a better move than simply drafting a quarterback at No. 12 because you feel your hands are tied. 

If the Broncos were to make that move, that would end up being graded quite low on the report card. However, this low-risk, low-cost move for Wilson and the flexibility it brings to the team’s overall draft outlook earns it a much higher mark than most Broncos fans would likely be willing to give. 

Grade: B

Author(s)

Travis Wakeman has been covering the NFL since 2012 when he started with Bleacher Report. After reporting about the Broncos there until 2016, he joined the FanSided network as a site expert covering the San Diego/Los Angeles Chargers while simultaneously covering the Broncos at Broncos Wire when that site launched. He then took over the Broncos site at FanSided in March 2020 and covered the team there until spring of 2024.