All around the NFL, the reclamation project quarterback is seemingly en vogue. We have seen players like Baker Mayfield, Geno Smith, Sam Darnold, and to a degree even someone like Jared Goff really break through when given second chances by new teams in better overall situations.
It’s not a 100 percent success rate, of course, but Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton has had success rehabilitating the value of quarterbacks who were either written off or considered busts by their previous teams (or both). He did it for both Teddy Bridgewater and Jameis Winston with the New Orleans Saints, helping those guys make a ton of money elsewhere.
Frankly, Payton also rehabbed the value of Russell Wilson after a disastrous 2022 season and that has helped Wilson land starting gigs with both the Steelers and Giants the past two years.
One of Payton’s latest reclamation projects was former 2nd overall pick Zach Wilson. Wilson was the third QB on Denver’s depth chart last season, but was someone the team really liked and wanted to work with to help him make millions elsewhere.
And that’s exactly what he did.
Zach Wilson making an early impression at Dolphins training camp
Erik Ezukanma was a standout at Day 1 of Dolphins camp, catching a deep touchdown from Zach Wilson and another downfield pass from Quinn Ewers.
— David Furones (@DavidFurones_) July 23, 2025
Wilson got a nice one-year deal from the Miami Dolphins to be the backup to Tua Tagovailoa, a job that has a near-100 percent certainty of landing Wilson on the field this coming season. The unfortunate reality with Tagovailoa is that he struggles to stay on the field, so not only did Wilson get a very solid $6 million from the Dolphins (with no state income tax in Florida), but he also might get the chance to show just how much his rehab stint in Denver worked out.
Already, Wilson is launching bombs at Dolphins training camp. And while it’s egregious to think he would go to Miami and take the starting job from Tagovailoa, it’s not impossible that Wilson could dominate during the preseason and become one of the most talked-about quarterbacks in the league.
Teams are always on the hunt for help at the quarterback position, and while Wilson has tremendous value to the Dolphins this year, his performance in the preseason this year could dictate whether or not he ends up getting a starting gig elsewhere in the league in 2026.
Wilson has plenty of advocates out there and with the Sean Payton coaching tree expanding along with his experience under Mike McDaniel this year, he’s shaping up to be one of the more interesting free agent quarterbacks next offseason if he can keep this up.
