The Denver Broncos continue to praise backup quarterback Zach Wilson.
After opting to carry three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster, Broncos general manager George Paton was asked if he believes Wilson could one day return to being a starter in the NFL.
“No doubt,” Paton said. “He has starter tools all over. It’s been pretty cool just watching him with really no expectations. He can just go out there and play football. He has all the traits. He has all the starting traits in the world.
“He’s still working through some things. You can see the good and the really good last week in the game. He can throw it as good as anyone in the league. I mentioned before, he’s smart and he’s a great kid. He has starter traits all over. I do think he will be a starter in this league.”
Denver acquired Wilson from the New York Jets in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick earlier this year. The former No. 2 overall pick is now listed as the Broncos’ third-string quarterback behind Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham.
Wilson impressed in Denver’s preseason finale, throwing for 251 yards and scoring three touchdowns with no turnovers.
The Broncos’ belief in Wilson does seem to be genuine, but it’s also in the team’s best interest to hype up his stock. With three capable quarterbacks on the active roster, Denver might receive trade calls from other teams this season if any QBs suffer injuries this fall. The NFL’s in-season trade deadline is Nov. 5.
