It’s like two sides of a coin. We saw Caleb Williams, the overall 1st pick of 2024, ending his rookie season with a 5-12 win-loss record while the 2nd overall pick, Jayden Daniels, was on the verge of becoming the first rookie to play the Super Bowl. Another quarterback saw flashbacks of his struggles and challenges while sitting on the bench for the Denver Broncos. It’s the 2nd overall pick of the 2021 draft and the highest drafted player from BYU, Zach Wilson. The NY Jets had massive plans for him, but when he failed, the blame was put on him solely. Were they right? Probably not!

Interestingly, it was the first head coaching stint for Robert Saleh as well. But their combination never clicked. In the first two of the three seasons with the AFC East franchise, the QB had more interceptions than touchdowns. Even after four seasons, including the one with the Broncos in 2024 when he didn’t play any games, Zach Wilson has a 23-25 TD-INT ratio. Overall, he has a 12-21 win-loss record in 34 games (33 starters).

It wasn’t just his fault. Robert Saleh failed to find the flaws that the Dolphins are now making him realize. After the open media practice session from the second day of Dolphins mandatory minicamp in Miami Gardens, the QB recounted one of Saleh’s massive failures, “It’s crazy coz I have never been told like in the past places, ‘hey, you are late.’ Even with the strong arm, it’s not like you are late on this throw.”

Well, Saleh might be asked questions about his arguable inability to assess players’ capabilities. But, for now, Zach Wilson has already moved on. He doesn’t want flashbacks of his past here. He has already put his best foot forward by following what the coaches want him to do. It starts with throwing passes in open spaces with anticipation, while the receivers raise their speed to catch the ball.

It’s all about the future. It takes one throw, one touchdown to become a hero in the league. With Tua Tagovailoa as the starter, the four-season veteran needs to overcome a challenge to reach where he wants to be.

Dolphins HC challenges Zach Wilson!

Although the Phins HC Mike McDaniel called Zach Wilson “a direct, calculated target” before signing the 1-year $6 million contract, they need to manage his development carefully. He has dealt with concussion injuries and handled the mental stress of benching during his early years. On the other hand, his new franchise wants him to trust his teammates. And the best way to do that is to make them play in practice like a game.

While the Dolphins coaches have told him to throw in open spaces and anticipate the speed of his receivers, the HC explained his decision-making process. Comparing his arm speed to NFL legend John Elway, the HC said, “A guy with arm talent like that to challenge the play, the game of football, the quarterback position, the only reason I would even challenge him in that regard is because he has the power of, ‘Yeah, this game adjustment, or what coach is asking of me is minuscule, rabbit pellets, relative.’ He has exhibited that.”

Zach Wilson made a remarkable stride in his performance in his 3rd year in 2023, with a 60.1% pass completion rate with 2,271 passing yards. With eyes on his performance in 2025, this season could be the make-or-break year for the 25-year-old. He will exchange vows with fiancée, Nicolette Dellanno, next month on July 12 in Utah. With positive changes happening in his personal life, expect some magic on the gridiron too. It’s high time!