Zach Wilson has found a new NFL home.
The former BYU Cougars quarterback finished strong in the NFL preseason with the New Orleans Saints, earning a spot on the final 53-man roster Sunday. Wilson, who was battling with Spencer Rattler for the backup spot, will be behind starter Tyler Shough.
Wilson signed with the Saints during the offseason and seemed to be riding out the waves pretty well. He's part of the New York Jets' history with quarterbacks after being selected No. 2 in the 2021 NFL Draft. Just like many others over the past decade, Wilson fell out of favor in NYC and moved over to Denver. His time with the Broncos led to a stint with the Miami Dolphins. All of which took him nowhere in his NFL career. However, his current stop in New Orleans seems to be off to a good start.
Wilson played inspired football during the preseason. He completed 28-of-40 passes for 293 yards and one touchdown and an interception. Most of his total came during the Saints first preseason game with 145 yards and a touchdown during two quarters. This pushed him from being a toss up to a lock.
Despite the speculation, New Orleans opted to keep both Wilson and Rattler on the roster. Obviously, either one could step in to replace Shough, if needed. There's no clear indication where Wilson will be slotted on the depth chart.
Wilson flashed some serious potential that lived up to being the No. 2 overall pick at times this preseason. Rattler might be the conventional pick given his history with the team. But if he could dress out on game days as the emergency QB3, there was a benefit for the Saints to keep him on the roster.
Whether he'll see the field at any point this season is also up in the air. For now, Wilson being able to make the Saints final roster adds another chapter in his NFL career.
Wilson played in 30 career games for BYU. The youngest freshman quarterback to ever start for the Cougars, Wilson finished his career with 7,652 passing yards with 56 touchdowns. He added 642 yards and 15 touchdowns on the ground. Wilson was one of the nation’s most productive quarterbacks during the 2020 season, finishing eighth in the Heisman Trophy voting with three first-place votes.
The Saints open the 2026-27 season on the road against the Lions on Sunday, Sept. 13.
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