Sauce Gardner believes ex-teammate Zach Wilson has tools to become a ‘top-tier’ NFL quarterback

Wilson was traded to the Broncos by the Jets earlier this off-season.

Sauce Gardner believes ex-teammate Zach Wilson has tools to become a ‘top-tier’ NFL quarterback

Zach Wilson and Sauce Gardner (via IMAGO)

The relationship between New York Jets and Zach Wilson turned sour over the years. The second overall pick of the 2021 NFL Draft was picked by Robert Saleh & Co. to be the future of the team. However, things did not work out well. After three years, the team had seen enough of him and moved on by sending him to the NFL equivalent of purgatory, the Denver Broncos.

Zach Wilson was not supposed to play this season. That was because the 2023-24 season was meant for Aaron Rodgers to start and for the younger QB to sit back and learn from him. However, after the veteran QB went down with an Achilles injury, Wilson was thrust into a Kobayashi Maru situation wherein he was expected to perform behind a horrid offensive line. However, he failed.

Despite his disappointing season, one former teammate believes Wilson will prove his critics wrong in the NFL. Cornerback Sauce Gardner believes that his former QB will get success in his role with the Broncos. 

When it comes to talent, as players and coaches, if you see somebody do something...Let me just speak for me if I see somebody do something one time then I know it's in them. I know they can do it.
Zach Wilson said via the Green Light Podcast with Chris Long
Right, so I did practice against him for two-straight years, and I've seen him do like some special things in games, so it's like I know he can do it...I feel like a new chapter, like obviously I'm not familiar with Denver and how they run things, and who their coaches is but a new chapter I feel like was good for him and is good for him, and I feel like he has all the tools that it takes to be a top-tier NFL quarterback.
Sauce Gardner added

Gardner views this fresh start as the best scenario for Wilson. He is optimistic about his former teammate’s tenure in the Mile High City.

Sauce Gardner believes he has seen glimpses of greatness from Zach Wilson during practice

Sauce Gardner means well, unfortunately, Sean Payton is unlikely to share his optimism. The Broncos had a rocky couple of months since moving on from Russell Wilson at QB.

Zach Wilson and Sauce Gardner
Zach Wilson and Sauce Gardner (via IMAGO)

Considering the fact that the team drafted Bo Nix in the 2024 Draft, there is a high likelihood that he will be given a higher preference to start the upcoming season. There is a quarterback battle between Nix, Jarrett Stidham, and Wilson.

This does not automatically disqualify Wilson from getting an opportunity to start but he will need to prove himself well. Irrespective of what happens, Wilson deserves another chance at proving his critics wrong and hopefully, he gets it.

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