Zach Wilson leads the Broncos’ backups to a 38-12 win over the Cardinals in preseason finale

By ARNIE STAPLETON AP Pro Football Writer
DENVER (AP) — Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham both made strong closing cases for surviving roster cuts after losing out to rookie Bo Nix in the Denver Broncos’ latest quarterback competition.
Stidham directed an efficient touchdown drive Sunday in his only possession and Wilson drove Denver on four scoring drives as the Broncos wrapped up a perfect preseason with a 38-12 walloping of the Arizona Cardinals.
“Both those guys looked good,” said Broncos coach Sean Payton, who reiterated that he’d like to keep all three QBs when final cuts are made Tuesday. “We feel comfortable with all three.”
In his most extensive action this summer, Wilson jumpstarted a touchdown drive with a 21-yard scramble and threw a 46-yard TD on a frozen rope of a pass to Brandon Johnson with a beaten defensive back cutting across his path and he sped into the end zone.
Stidham’s cameo concluded with rookie running back Audric Estime’s 3-yard score.
“It was great,” Stidham said. “I knew going into it if I went down and scored on the first drive I’d probably be done. So, I’m really proud of the guys.”
Wilson, the former second overall draft pick by the Jets in 2021, has 33 career NFL starts and that experience showed when he sparked an 11-play, 77-yard touchdown drive with an impressive scramble from his own 13 on second-and-20. He finished that drive with a 1-yard touchdown toss to tight end Nate Atkins that gave Denver a 14-0 lead.
“I think getting hit in the face” on the long scramble “will help you get ready,” Wilson said with a smile.
Wilson’s 1-yard keeper capped an 88-yard drive that made it 24-6 in the third quarter and he found Johnson from 46 yards out with 6:22 remaining.
Wilson finished 16 of 25 for 251 yards, two TDs and no interceptions in relief of Stidham, who directed a 10-play, 55-yard drive by going 2 of 4 for 28 yards.
Payton bristled when asked if financial ramifications will come into play when deciding how many QBs to keep. Stidham is due $5 million this season and there’s been speculation he might have to take a paycut to stick around.
“No, we’ve got enough money,” Payton said. “I understand the question. We feel comfortable with those three quarterbacks. I think I’ve told you already I see the three of them making it.”
When that notion was relayed to Wilson in the locker room, he said, “Yeah, exciting. But you know cut day’s not until Tuesday, so we’ll see what happens.”
Clayton Tune and Desmond Ridder split snaps in their final audition to serve as Kyler Murray’s backup in Arizona (0-3). Tune was 12 of 18 for 119 yards with no touchdowns, an interceptions and a pair of sacks by Jordan Jackson.
Ridder was 10 of 16 for 111 yards in relief of Tune when he went to the medical tent in the closing minutes following a hard hit that left him in concussion protocol. Tune went back in and on his first snap threw an interception that linebacker Levelle Bailey returned 96 yards for a touchdown.
Denver DB Kedron Smith recorded his third takeaway of the preseason when he recovered Tony Jones Jr.’s fumble at the Denver 3. Jones was knocked from the game with a shoulder injury on the play.
Matt Prater’s 50-yarder as the first half expired made it 14-3. He tacked on a 24-yarder and Haassan Hall accounted for Arizona’s only touchdown with a 3-yard run in the fourth quarter that made it 24-12.
“I just told ’em the effort was good, they battled in there today. But you lost the explosive play battle, you lost the takeaway battle. And that’s what happens, you get beat,” Cardinals coach Jonathan Gannon said.
Cardinals safety Darren Hall said the turnovers not withstanding, the Cardinals “feel good.”
“We’re still building. We’ve got a long way to go but as a team we’re real close. We have a real close bond,” he said. “The sky’s the limit for this team.”
Injuries
Denver DB Damarri Mathis, who started 17 games over the last two seasons, injured his right ankle on a tackle on the game’s second play from scrimmage and was carted off. Payton said it didn’t appear signficant. Broncos LB Durell Nchami pulled a hamstring. Cardinals CBs Divaad Wilson (wrist), Elijah Jones (ankle) and Darren Hall (hip) all got hurt and Cardinals TE Sage Surratt (ankle) left in the third quarter. O-lineman Christian Jones was carted off in the waning minutes with an unspecified injury.
Up next
Cardinals: Regular-season opener Sept. 8 at Buffalo.
Seahawks: Regular-season opener Sept. 8 at Seattle.