Broncos Won’t Pick Up Fifth-Year Option On QB Zach Wilson

Tomasson notes that the team has already picked up the fifth-year option on CB Patrick Surtain, worth $19.8 million for 2025. Picking up the option for Wilson would have cost the team $22.4 million for 2025.

Wilson, 24, was a three-year starter at BYU and a first-team All-Independent League selection as a junior. The Jets drafted Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 draft. 

Wilson signed a four-year, $35,150,680 contract with the Jets that includes a $22,924,131 signing bonus. He is now entering the final year of that deal and is set to become an unrestricted free agent in 2025.

After looking to move on from Wilson all offseason, the Jets traded him to the Broncos and retained half of Wilson’s remaining $5.5 million guaranteed salary for 2024. Denver gave up a sixth-round pick in the trade and received a seventh back from New York along with Wilson.

In 2023, Wilson appeared in 12 games for the Jets and completed 60.8 percent of his passes for 2,245 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions.