The Dolphins saw plenty of Zach Wilson during his rocky three-year tenure with the Jets.
And while Wilson’s tape has left much to be desired, Miami saw “a lot of talent” in the former first-round pick to sign him to a one-year, $6 million contract this offseason to back up starting quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
“I think as we were all going through it and we spent a lot of time on that with Mike [McDaniel] and the offensive coaches and the scouts, and we just felt like Zach had a lot of potential and a lot of talent, and I know you could go the veteran route with someone more proven,” Dolphins general manager Chris Grier said Tuesday, according to ProFootballTalk.
The Jets’ No. 2 pick in the 2021 NFL Draft, Wilson struggled mightily in New York, where he was benched sporadically during his 34-game run and threw for 23 touchdowns against 25 interceptions.
Wilson started three games against the Dolphins — all in Miami — and had one win. His final game with the Jets was against the Dolphins, leaving early with a concussion in a 30-0 Miami blowout.
He was traded to the Broncos last April and was the third QB on the depth chart behind rookie starter Bo Nix and veteran backup Jarrett Stidham.
Despite a paltry career record of 12-21, Wilson’s character was a particular selling point for Dolphins brᴀss.
“Zach has won a few games,” Grier said. ‘I know everyone is going to say his record and stuff, but I think for us in dealing with it and getting to know him, talking once he signed and getting to know him and going through it and going back to the relationships people had with him prior to the draft when he came out. We just felt that in talking to him and some veterans that he was the right fit and right choice for us because we do think that his skill set really fits what our offense does.”
The Dolphins saw a rotation at the quarterback position last season via backups Skylar Thompson and Tyler Huntley when Tagovailoa, 27, missed time throughout the year due to a concussion and hip injury.
Given Tagovailoa’s concussion history, the backup QB position is crucial for the Dolphins.
Miami finished the season at 8-9 and missed the playoffs.
Wilson, 25, said in March he is eager to use lessons of the past to fuel this opportunity with the Dolphins.
“There’s things, looking back, I wish I could’ve done so much better, maybe would’ve approached differently, but I think, at the end of the day, it’s all part of the story,” Wilson said on the Dolphins’ “Drive Time” podcast.
“Learning from those experiences and those hard times ultimately is what got me here and hopefully being able to take advantage of the opportunity here.”
When Wilson suits up for the Dolphins this season, he’ll be doing so as a married man. The quarterback is slated to wed fiancée Nicolette Dellanno sometime this summer.
The couple got engaged in Italy last year.
