Kyle Shanahan’s next 49ers quarterback revival is hiding in plain sight, and the clues are impossible to ignore.QQ
San Francisco 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan is gaining a reputation as something of a quarterback rehabilitator. He was already able to revive the careers of Sam Darnold and Mac Jones
Zach Wilson seems like the logical next candidate for rehabilitation.
Matt Barrows of The Athletic highlighted Wilson as a potential backup for Brock Purdy next season, assuming the Niners trade Mac Jones this offseason, which seems like a distinct possibility given how well he played filling in for an injured Purdy.
Wilson was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. He was taken by the New York Jets and struggled in his first three seasons, which ultimately convinced New York to move on from him.
In those three seasons, the BYU standout had a 57 percent completion percentage and threw for 6,293 yards with 23 passing touchdowns and 25 interceptions. He had a 6-11 win-loss record in his time as a starter with the Jets.
The Jets were looking to trade him following the 2023 season, and there were a lot of rumors linking Wilson to San Francisco.
Zach Wilson’s trajectory could take him to Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers
He ultimately was traded to the Denver Broncos prior to the 2024 season and served as a backup to Bo Nix. Wilson did not see any action in the regular season, and the Broncos subsequently declined the option on his contract, which made him a free agent.
The Miami Dolphins signed Wilson to a one-year contract to be a backup to Tua Tagovailoa. He has seen just limited action in 2025 in relief, appearing in three games and completing six passes on nine attempts for 32 yards.
The Dolphins made a change at quarterback recently, as they decided to bench Tagovailoa and start rookie Quinn Ewers for the last few weeks.
It seems the Dolphins are committing to Ewers as their quarterback of the future, so Wilson may very well be looking for a new home this offseason.
Why not come to the 49ers to see if Shanahan can help him get back on track? Wilson has now spent a season in Miami with Mike McDaniel learning an offense similar to the one Shanahan runs in San Francisco.
The embattled signal-caller clearly has talent and maybe just hasn’t been given the right opportunity and circumstances to thrive.
Obviously, the Niners will be hoping Purdy will take every meaningful snap for them for the next number of seasons, but he has had injury issues in his young career. So having a competent backup is necessary, as was proven by Jones this season.
Wilson seems like the logical next quarterback who can find success under Shanahan and then go on to better things.
