Zach Wilson and the Denver Broncos probably needed a change of scenery after Russell Wilson left the team abruptly. But things didn’t end up as bad for the team as they recently acquired Bo Nix in the draft. There was a time when fans thought that the Broncos might not get their hands on a QB in the draft.

As the draft ended, the GM and HC of the Broncos, Sean Payton and George Paton spoke to the media and revealed their future in the coming season. But most importantly, the dup addressed the quarterback situation and what the team had to do to acquire Zach Wilson. Surprisingly, it took the Broncos more time than expected to get Zach Wilson to join.

It took long, but Zach Wilson is finally here

In essence, the reporter wanted to know what changes the Broncos expect now that they signed Zach Wilson, Bo Nix, and the DE John Franklin Myers. The Broncos HC then revealed that it took the team about a month to get a deal done with Zach Wilson, which was longer than the Russell Wilson trade after it went through.

But it was worth the wait because Zach’s contract is way less expensive than Russell Wilson’s. “First off, I wish George [Paton] wishes we got Zach in a day. That took like, it took like 30 days,” said the HC and added, “It was a process um, but I think you slowly build your roster in the off-season.”

It’s worth noting that the Broncos signed Wilson for a 5-year $242.6 million deal. Wilson played 2 seasons there and left the team with a record-breaking $85 million in dead cap. The Broncos still had to pay Wilson the left-over money from his injury guarantees, which was close to around $37.8 million.

But they didn’t have to worry about Wilson in that regard. The Broncos are splitting Zach Wilson’s $5.5 million salary with the Jets. The Denver team will pay him around $2.75 million. This is nearly a $239.85 million difference in Russell and Zach Wilson’s salaries.

Despite an experience difference, both QB’s must start all over again

The Denver team is now acclimating itself with its new QBs. Both Wilson and Bo Nix need to get familiar with other members of the team. Also, their performance at the training camps would dictate when and how they will fit with the Broncos. A part of it also has to do with how well these players know their coaching staffs and how the Broncos operate.

“It’s that onboarding. It’s a number of things—getting to know your teammates, getting to know the offense and the coaching staff and the system. There’s a process to it. It began tonight for him. I think he’ll be here tomorrow and then a couple weeks from now for the offseason program. It starts [now],” said Sean Payton of the new QBs.

It would be a miracle to see the Broncos having a solid season this year, but Sean Payton has Super Bowl experience. He might just coach Wilson and Nix well enough to at least keep winning and stay focused on the present.