After former BYU star quarterback Zach Wilson finally escaped the chaos that is the New York Jets last year, he spent the 2024 season as a backup with the Denver Broncos. With four full NFL seasons under his belt and his rookie contract expired, Wilson is a free agent and can sign with any of the league’s 32 teams.
Here are the three best landing spots for him to reinvigorate his NFL career once free agency begins on March 12th:
Las Vegas Raiders
There have already been reports linking Zach to the Raiders, including this post from Vincent Bonsignore, a reporter at the Las Vegas Review Journal:
Obviously, there's a long way to go with the @Raiders QB room, but a name that keeps coming up here in Indianapolis, at least in terms of bringing into the mix, is Zach Wilson.
— Vincent Bonsignore (@VinnyBonsignore) February 26, 2025
Vegas could be an ideal spot for Wilson because they are in desperate need of a starting quarterback. Last year the combination of Gardner Minshew, Aidan O’Connell, and Desmond Ridder combined to go 4-13. The Raiders have two solid receiving weapons in tight end Brock Bowers (112 receptions for 1,194 yards last year) and Jakobi Meyers (87 receptions for 1,027 yards) who could be appealing targets for Zach Wilson as he contemplates a new home.
Now, the Raiders do hold the No. 6 pick in this year’s draft and they may end up moving up in the draft to get a quarterback or one may fall to them at No. 6. But if Las Vegas doesn’t draft a quarterback, the Raiders could have the most promising path to a successful starting role for Wilson.
Los Angeles Rams
The Rams would be a great long-term fit for Zach Wilson. First, starting quarterback Matthew Stafford is 37 and nearly left the team this offseason before recently re-signing. Los Angeles needs a contingency plan for life after Stafford.
Second, head coach Sean McVay is an offensive genius who could put Wilson in a position to succeed. McVay is competitive and is constantly in “win now” mode, so he probably doesn't want to rebuild once Stafford is gone. Zach Wilson could be a perfect plug-and-play backup if Stafford gets hurt in 2025, and he could be Stafford’s successor likely starting in 2026.
Third, it would just be awesome for BYU fans to have Zach Wilson and Puka Nacua on the same team, especially if Wilson eventually were to replace Stafford as the starter. Football universe, please make this happen.
Seattle Seahawks
Incumbent quarterback Geno Smith is 34 years old and entering the last year of his contract. Like Wilson, Geno Smith was originally drafted by the New York Jets, was ruined by that disastrous franchise, then played the role of a backup for seven years before starting for the Seahawks in 2022. His late-bloomer career has been truly remarkable and serves as a reminder to Zach Wilson that sometimes it just takes time for the right opportunity to present itself.
After back-to-back Pro Bowl years in 2022 and 2023, Smith’s 2024 campaign wasn’t his best. While the Seahawks went an impressive 10-7, Smith tossed a career-high 15 interceptions against 21 touchdowns. His contract extension with the team is still up in the air, making Seattle a good landing spot for Zach Wilson as both an immediate quality backup for a team with playoff aspirations while providing a long-term bridge to a potential post-Geno Smith future.