Zach Wilson Calls Jets Trade 'Bittersweet,' Ready for 'Fresh Start' with Broncos

Zach Wilson has been relatively quiet since being traded from the New York Jets to the Denver Broncos last month, but he broke his silence and gave his candid thoughts on the end of his tenure with the team that drafted him second overall in 2021.

"Obviously there's bittersweet moments in everything," Wilson said of the trade in his first meeting with reporters on Thursday, per The Denver Post's Parker Gabriel. "I was grateful for my experiences there. And the guys. I miss the guys out there and everything, too. But at the same time, a fresh start is good. I'm excited to attack a new challenge."

Wilson played 34 games while starting 33 in his three-year tenure in New York and led the team to a 12-21 record. He's thrown for 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions and has a career completion percentage of 57.0.

The 24-year-old was expected to have the chance to use the 2023 season as a year to learn behind star quarterback Aaron Rodgers, but he was thrust into action when Rodgers tore his Achilles four plays into the season opener. Wilson never quite found his footing and was benched in Week 11 before suffering a season-ending concussion in Week 15.

Wilson will be competing with veteran quarterback Jarrett Stidham and 2024 No. 12 pick Bo Nix for the starting quarterback job in Denver. He said he's excited for the chance to reset his career.

"I feel like you learn the most when things don't always go the best," Wilson said. "So you bank those reps, you learn from them and three years of things being challenging you can learn a lot of things. Hopefully, I can carry those with me."