Could quarterback Zach Wilson be the next NFL Draft bust who revives his career elsewhere?
On Monday, the Miami Dolphins and Wilson agreed to a fully guaranteed one-year, $6M deal that could be worth up to $10M, per ESPN's Adam Schefter.
In a story published Tuesday, Sports Illustrated's Albert Breer suggested Wilson could be an intriguing reclamation project for the Dolphins.
"Based on how the Denver Broncos staff felt about QB Zach Wilson, I wouldn't rule out the idea that he could have a renaissance with the Miami Dolphins," wrote Breer. "With Bo Nix entrenched, Wilson was always going to look for a place where he'd have a better shot to get on the field — and there's no delicate way to say that Tua Tagovailoa's injury history did signal some level of opportunity there."
Tagovailoa has been diagnosed with three concussions in five seasons with Miami. If he suffered another injury, could Wilson step in and deliver?
In his first three seasons with the New York Jets, 2021 No. 2 overall pick Wilson had a 12-21 record and posted an awful 73.2 passer rating.
Wilson didn't play in the regular season in one year with Denver, but he made an impression on Broncos general manager George Paton.
"He can throw it as good as anyone in this league," Paton said at the end of training camp in 2024, via The Athletic's Nick Kosmider. "He has starter traits all over and I do think he will be a starter in this league."
Wilson could improve under Miami head coach Mike McDaniel, a QB whisperer.
In his first two seasons without McDaniel, Tagovailoa threw 27 TD passes. Over his past three seasons with the coach, he has tossed 73.
Still, it's hard to envision Wilson rebounding in Miami, and Tagovailoa staying healthy remains the best-case scenario for the Dolphins. In 2023, he made the Pro Bowl and tied for the league's fifth-most TD passes (29 in 17 starts).
