Four years after extensively scouting him before the NFL draft, Miami Dolphins quarterback coach Darrell Bevell now finds himself coaching Zach Wilson.

The goal for Bevell and the rest of the Dolphins offensive staff is to put Wilson in position to maximize his very obvious passing skills so he can be ready to produce if called upon as Tua Tagovailoa’s backup.

For Bevell, this is an incremental journey beginning with refining his abilities and sharpening his performance.

“He has the talent,” Bevell said. “He didn’t get picked there for no reason, right? So he definitely has the talent. And we’re just trying to, from my eyes, make corrections that we want to, that will help fit into our offense. And then once we get to take the next step against defenses, then we’ll be able to continue no more.”

Bevell first became familiar with Wilson’s work ahead of the 2021 draft when he was offensive coordinator of the Jacksonville Jaguars, who had the first overall pick that year.

It transpired that the Jaguars drafted quarterback Trevor Lawrence first, prior to selecting Wilson who ended up being chosen by the New York Jets.

Wilson endured three challenging seasons with the New York team prior to being traded to the Denver Broncos last year. In Denver, he operated under Sean Payton’s guidance, functioning as the third-string quarterback, following rookie Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham.

We worked with Zach, Trevor, and Justin Fields, that entire team,” Bevell stated. “I was quite impressed back then. As a coach, there were aspects where I wanted to work closely with him and perhaps assist him, focusing on areas for improvement. I looked forward to doing just that.

It’s been enjoyable to see how far he has come since his time with the Jets, despite facing challenging situations which were also valuable lessons. Stepping back and viewing these events from another perspective, moving to Denver and teaming up with Sean Payton, recognized for being exceptional, brought about some adjustments. When he joins us, our approach won’t be like anything they did before.

Bevell says Wilson’s “buy-in” has been exemplary.

In fact, Bevell says he’s happy with everything he’s seen from Wilson away from the field.

As an individual, he has excelled,” Bevell stated. “I appreciate the manner in which he enters the space. The rapport between Tua and him is fantastic; they’ve managed to engage in meaningful discussions about their previous experiences and such topics. It’s quite enjoyable witnessing this interaction. Moreover, his eagerness stands out along with his humility—he constantly asks himself what more he can do and aims for improvement. Overall, I must say, I am genuinely impressed and somewhat taken aback by how well he performs.

That doesn’t mean, however, that Wilson is at the point the Dolphins would like him, understanding the obvious preference is having Wilson simply wear a baseball cap on the sideline all season because that will mean that Tagovailoa stayed healthy.

There is plenty of time for Wilson to work on his game before the regular season arrives in September, and joint practices against the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Washington Commanders will only help.

Well, anything he can contribute to our offensive strategy is significant for him,” Beaver stated. “The focus here and the structure of Phase Two during this part of the off-season program allows us to concentrate on basics which is crucial for his development. As we move through each phase—from solo exercises to incorporating receivers and eventually working with full teams facing different defensive setups—each step becomes essential for him. The experience he gains from competing against various defenses will also prove highly beneficial.

Bevell firmly believes that Wilson possesses all the essential physical attributes needed for success.

Well, he has quite a few assets,” Bevell mentioned. “For starters, he possesses an exceptional throwing arm, which makes him stand out. However, what we’re consistently focusing on is improving his footwork and learning not to solely depend on his arm strength. Instead, we want him to leverage his foot movements to maintain timing and move effectively as directed.


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