Insider Details Signs of Potential Winner in Broncos QB Battle

The Denver Broncos QB battle may be closer to a resolution than it seems if rookie first-round pick Bo Nix continues with his strong showing in training camp.

“He’s done better on the field, performance-wise. But also, there were a couple tells in the training camp practice today,” 9News’ Mike Klis reported on “Klis Kave” on August 2. “They had a couple move-the-ball drills and walk-throughs. Bo was the only one who did it. They had a game situation where they only had 13 seconds left, they needed a few yards, and then had to stop the clock. Bo Nix was the only quarterback who did that. Why would they only use Bo if he wasn’t going to be the guy?

“Then they had to move-the-ball drill, which is basically the offense completion, run up to the line of scrimmage, keep going. He had like a 16-, 17-play methodical drive. Jarrett Stidham had a couple plays – about four or five – and Zach Wilson didn’t get any. So that kind of tells you that Sean Payton is getting Bo Nix ready for the season opener.”

Nix enters the league as the most experienced college quarterback ever, with an NCAA record 61 starts to his name.

He has displayed some veteran tendencies, according to teammate and safety P.J. Locke.

Locke is entering his fifth NFL season. He has spent his entire career with the Broncos and has seen six different starting quarterbacks during that time. Locke could witness his seventh different Broncos QB start in Week 1 if Nix (or Wilson) wins the job.

“What I notice from Bo is he’s a good look-off guy,” Locke told reporters on August 1. “He’s really good looking off. Even in OTAs, I was like, ‘Man I just cannot get a bead off of him.’ Because most time, rookie quarterbacks, their first read they’re going to look at it, and he’ll look you off real quick.

“I think he studies the safeties and he can tell we’re super instinctive and we try to play games with him. So he try to play games back, so that’s what I noticed off-rip. And he can throw the pill. He can throw it.”

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Insider: Zach Wilson Not Out of QB Battle

Payton confirmed a reduction from three quarterbacks to two in the race to be the Week 1 starter, with Wilson the odd man out. However, Sports Illustrated’s Albert Breer reported that all hope was not lost for Wilson.

“It’s been communicated to Zach Wilson that he’s not out of it yet, and the team does have over a week left before going to Indy for the preseason opener,” Breer wrote on August 1.

Payton reiterated his point that keeping a three-man rotation in training camp was untenable.

“It’s not etched in stone,” Payton told reporters after practice on August 1. “We talked about it last week. It’s hard to rotate three guys through the first group. All three of them, I thought, had a good day.”

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Broncos to Map Out QB Plan for Preseason Opener

Payton said they would go through a “different type of practice” on Saturday, August 3. He also said they would work on a plan for the preseason opener on August 11. Klis’ preliminary report on the session painted all three of Nix, Stidham and Wilson in a positive light

The Broncos drafted Nix while Stidham and Wilson are both reclamation projects.

Denver also added Nix in the draft with Stidham and Wilson already on the roster. That is just one more factor in the Nix’s favor.

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