The Miami Dolphins signed Zach Wilson to a one-year, $6 million deal in free agency. The main idea is to add a talented backup behind Tua Tagovailoa, but Wilson sees it as something else. It’s an opportunity to revitalize his NFL career.
“I still believe I can be a starter in this league whenever that opportunity comes,” Wilson said via the Associated Press. “And so I just try to put myself in the best situation with the best team and coaches and do the absolute best that I can.”
After a failed experience with the New York Jets, Zach Wilson thinks a better infrastructure can give him new life in the league. And for that, playing for a head coach like Mike McDaniel and one of the most quarterback-friendly systems in football could be a big chance to materially improve.
“What’s not to like?” Wilson added. “Extremely explosive offense. They do a great job, and it starts from coach McDaniel and goes all the way down. You’ve seen how Tua’s development has gone since he’s been there. I’m just excited to be with those guys.”
It has been a reclamation tour for Wilson. Last season, he was traded from the Jets to the Denver Broncos. Even though he did not play regular season games in Denver, the experience of understanding the game through Sean Payton’s point of view was important for his growth as a quarterback. He spent the season behind Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham.
“Just processing in the NFL, pocket awareness, the ability to kind of progress more smoothly through my progressions and get the ball out of my hands,” Wilson mentioned. “Just maybe my understanding of the game, I feel like has just increasingly gotten better since my first year in the league.”
Zach Wilson appeared in 34 games for the Jets through three years, starting 33 of them. He had 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions, with a 73.2 passer rating. After a season as a third-string quarterback, Wilson will be Tagovailoa’s immediate backup. The next step is trying to get back to a starting opportunity—and playing for the Dolphins is part of that process.