Saints sign Jets draft bust Zach Wilson to help back up Tyler Shough
There's a new quarterback in New Orleans. The Saints signed former Jets draft bust Zach Wilson to back up Tyler Shough. History says it may be brief.
Here's another arm for training camp. The New Orleans Saints are signing former New York Jets and Miami Dolphins quarterback Zach Wilson, per NewOrleans. Football's Nick Underhill .
ESPN's Adam Schefter adds that it's a one-year deal. There were other quarterbacks available with experience in Kellen Moore's offense like Cooper Rush, Easton Stick, and Will Grier, but they're all on the wrong side of 30. Maybe the Saints value youth in the room.
Wilson, 26, backed up Tua Tagovailoa last year after flaming out in three years with the Jets, who traded him to the Denver Broncos in 2024. The former BYU quarterback and second overall draft pick went 12-21 as a starter in New York while throwing 23 touchdown passes against 25 interceptions, taking 113 sacks in 38 games. Don't overreact to this move.
The Saints needed another passer just to get through drills at training camp this summer, and they only had Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler under contract. There's been speculation that Rattler could be traded if a QB-needy team comes up empty in the 2026 NFL Draft, and the Saints' other backup from last year, Hunter Dekkers, is competing in the spring-league UFL . Maybe the Saints move on from Wilson after the draft just like they did with Kellen Mond in 2024 and Ben DiNucci in 2025, if they find a better option.