Broncos quarterback Bo Nix might not have received a full complement of snaps against the Packers, but he received enough to make a positive impression.
It took Nix only two-and-a-half minutes to lead Denver on a six-play, 65-yard drive to tie the game at 7 early on. He also played the second drive (which resulted in a field goal) and finished the game going 6/9 for 76 yards and one passing TD. He looked comfortable, sharp, and most importantly, healthy.
NFL Network’s Manti Teʻo couldn’t deny how impressive the Broncos star QB looked in the bite-sized showing.
“You start to see Sean [Payton] throw that ball down the field, and that was a big difference from 2025,” Te’o said earlier today on Good Morning Football. “Bo, for whatever reason, wasn’t comfortable throwing the ball down the field. Now in his first preseason game back, he’s throwing the ball in the middle of the field, down the field, to his running back. It looked good for Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos so far.”
His latest insight is viewed in stark contrast to his previous analysis of Nix. On the July 22 installment of GMFB, Te’o mentioned that defenses didn’t respect his arm strength last season.
“I didn’t see defenses respect the deep ball that much, so they brought those safeties in,” Te’o said. “As a matter of fact, Bo Nix had the eighth-fewest air yards per attempt last year. On top of that, he threw the sixth-highest rate of passes behind the line of scrimmage. I need Bo Nix to throw that football down the field.”
While it’s still obviously early, if Denver’s two drives with Nix under center against Green Bay are any indication, that one can safely be characterized as “asked and answered.”
Bo Nix Is One Of The NFL’s Most Underrated Deep-Ball Passers
Te’o was correct about Nix failing to light up the scoreboard on deep balls last season (his 26.2% completion percentage ranked 28th in the league), but he’s missing a key bit of context in that equation. Nix’s 47 deep ball attempts were the eighth-most in the league.
2007 Tom Brady and 2013 Peyton Manning are the exception, and not the norm. Offenses that throw the ball deep a lot don’t come down with most of them. That’s especially the case when you consider the receivers Nix had at his disposal last season. The fact that his 11 passing touchdowns of 20+ yards last season tied for the league lead is a testament to his ability to hit the deep ball (and a direct contradiction to the point Te’o is trying to make).
Courtland Sutton is a great possession receiver with elite hands, but he’s not winning many foot races. Neither is Pat Bryant on the other side. Troy Franklin is a burner, but he also finished near the top (or bottom) of the league with 8 drops last year. Marvin Mims also has wheels, but they utilized him more on underneath passes last season, which resulted in a career-low 8.7 yards per catch.
Needless to say, Nix didn’t have a Jaylen Waddle to throw to last season. He does now, and it’s safe to assume they plan to make defenses defend every blade of grass as a result.
Many Also Believe The Best Is Yet To Come For Nix
The Bo Nix bandwagon is all systems go ahead of the 2026 NFL season. Many believe the addition of Waddle and expected emergence of Bryant could allow the third-year quarterback to reach his sky-high potential.
NFL.com’s Kevin Patra named Nix as the Broncos’ most likely first-time Pro Bowl candidate last week.
“I considered putting Jaylen Waddle in this spot, as he’s in position to mash in his first year outside Miami. But let’s be honest: If Waddle shines, Bo Nix will, too,” Patra wrote. “The third-year pro has steadily improved in Denver. His ability to keep the offense flowing and splash big gains continues to grow. The early returns with new play-caller Davis Webb have all been positive. If Nix stays healthy and smooths out some of the dips the offense saw last season, he’ll push his way toward the top of AFC signal-callers.”
If Nix does take a step forward in 2026, there’s no telling how far the Broncos can go. They will make the oddsmakers look awfully silly for giving them the third-best odds to win the AFC West.
Bo Nix Hater Does A Complete 180 After Preseason Performance Against Packers