Zach Wilson trade: Pat McAfee wishes 'sweet boy' the best after New York Jets trade to Broncos - while Sean Payton is backed to get the best out of the QB on his fresh start in Denver

Sports media personalities appear unanimous that Zach Wilson's trade to the Denver Broncos would be better for the team and the young quarterback.

On Monday, a source told ESPN that the New York Jets are sending the former No. 2 Draft pick to Denver for the Broncos' sixth-round pick in this week's NFL Draft. On the other hand, Denver will receive New York's seventh-round selection along with Wilson.

Following the news, ESPN's Pat McAfee applauded the trade - suggesting Denver is the right fit for Wilson as a team and a city. One of the panel members on the Pat McAfee show also referred to Wilson as a 'sweet boy.'

'Fresh start for a good boy,' McAfee said while clapping. 'He's from that area of the country - Utah's right there. I think the city would be great for him. Sean Payton [is] obviously a mastermind on the offense, we all know that.

'I think Zach Wilson was looking for a fresh start. The Jets were looking for a fresh start. And the Broncos are certainly looking for a fresh start as well. Good for Zach, good for the Broncos, good for the Jets. It's a win-win-win.'

Wilson unexpectedly had to step up last season when Aaron Rodgers ruptured his Achilles within his first quarter in a Jets uniform. Unfortunately, Wilson failed to find his footing in the long haul as New York finished with a 7-10 record.

Meanwhile, the Broncos aborted the Russell Wilson experiment halfway into his four-year deal. After back-to-back mediocre campaigns and an 8-9 finish last season, the team informed the former Super Bowl champion he would get cut before he signed a one-year deal with the Steelers.

NFL insider Tom Pelissero echoed McAfee's sentiments on The Herd with Colin Cowherd and reiterated how Denver got a steal with the trade.

'Remember, Zach Wilson played at BYU, he's from out there, [and] it obviously did not work out for him in New York,' Pelissero said. 'So you get him back home for virtually nothing in terms of a late-pick swap. The Jets are paying a significant amount of his training camp roster bonus too.'

'This is a low-risk flyer,' he continued. 'A few years ago, I had many coaches make the case to me that Zach Wilson's tape was better than Trevor Lawrence's [and] Zach Wilson could have been the No. 1 pick in the draft.'

Wilson appeared in 12 games last season, completing 221 out of 368 passes for 2,271 yards and eight touchdowns. Pelissero added that working with Sean Payton in Denver will be crucial to Wilson's development.

'We have seen flashes of Zach Wilson in the first six games with the Jets,' he suggested. 'I think they were 3-3, he played pretty good. Not perfect, not superstar-level. But he played well enough, and then it went completely sideways on him again.

'With Sean Payton, what he's gonna lock in on here is getting Zach to do exactly what he tells him to do. Play in the system, play to your strengths, [and] we're gonna put playmakers around you. Just basically break him down to the most simplistic level.'

The teams are reportedly splitting the $5.5 million Wilson is due this season, with the Broncos paying $2.75 and the Jets paying the same amount.