However, if you took a snapshot of his career and viewed it just from him signing with Denver and up until he was cut, that has to be one of the biggest non-injury related bust signings of all time.


So far, Zach is a bust in the NFL. He didn't perform anywhere near the level expected of a #2 pick over the last 3 years, and now the Jets are paying the Broncos to take him off their hands. To the tune of $2.75 million. I consider swapping 6th and 7th round picks to be pretty much a wash, so for all intents and purposes, the Jets paid to get rid of Zach.


Now consider what Denver did to get Russell:
The Broncos gave up two 1st round picks, two 2nd round picks, a 5th round pick, and 3 other players.
In return, they received Russell Wilson and a 4th round pick.
They also gave Russell a 5 year extension, $242 million contract, with $161 million guaranteed (but I think they somehow get to avoid the extension since it had not yet kicked in).

Russell never performed to the level expected of the above. To dump Russell, the Broncos:
Straight up cut him. They took a $34.5 million cap hit to cut him. That's the cap hit. The Broncos will be paying Russell around $38 million this year. To play for Pittsburg.



Just looking at it from a dollars and personnel perspective, Russell Wilson was a MUCH bigger bust in Denver than Zach was in NY. Denver will be suffering the effects of the Russell bust for years to come. Meanwhile, the Jets are out just $2.75 million and that's it. No massive lingering effects like Denver will be dealing with.


When you consider that roughly 14% of Denver's salary cap this season, ie 14% of their budget to go and sign players to build a team, is tied up in Russell Wilson who is playing for Pittsburg, it becomes clearer that Zach Wilson was probably the best they could go get with the money and lack of draft capital they had available. They don't have picks to give away to trade up to draft a QB for this season, and it's questionable at best that any of them would be good in their rookie year.

One of Stidham or Zach (likely a combo of both) are decent enough to get you through this season. Maybe make the playoffs, maybe not, but even if not, the expectations aren't that high given the damage of the Russell Wilson fiasco. If either of them do well, awesome. If not, at least you didn't blow up what's left of the team just to go sign another QB but then have nobody to play with him for years to come. And with $35 million in cap spaced freed up after this season, they'll have money to go chase a QB (if needed) next year.