While Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton can continue to play the wait-and-see game when it comes to who his starting quarterback will be this season, it probably seems clear to anyone who watched his team’s 34-30 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Aug. 11 in their preseason opener.
Even though veteran Jarrett Stidham got the start, it’s rookie Bo Nix who seems like the man for the job after going 15-for-25 passing for 125 yards and 1 touchdown in the win and leading two scoring drives. Stidham was 4-of-7 for 37 yards and 1 interception.
Nix also rushed 3 times for 17 years. Payton has already said Nix will start the Broncos’ next preseason game against the Green Bay Packers on Aug. 18 in Denver.
From the Associated Press: “… In his first NFL game, Nix may have taken the lead in the battle for Denver’s starting job.
Former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson also played for the Broncos, coming in for Nix midway through the third quarter and going 10-of-17 passing for 117 yards.
The sideline angle of Bo Nix’s touchdown pass #Broncos
Nix Set NCAA Records at Auburn and Oregon
Nix was part of the record-tying haul of quarterbacks taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft. The Broncos selected him at No. 12 overall and he was the sixth quarterback taken in the first round, tying the record set in the 1983 NFL draft.
In five seasons at Auburn and Oregon, Nix set the FBS record with 61 career starts and set the single-season FBS record by completing 77.4 percent of his passes in 2023.
Bleacher Report’s Ryan Fowler singled out Nix as Denver’s biggest reason for optimism headed into 2024.
“With Russell Wilson now out of town, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton enters 2024 with a fresh start,” Fowler wrote. “Behind a retooled roster and a new signal-caller in town, the Broncos enter camp with a newfound sense of optimism in the form of No. 12 overall pick Bo Nix. Although Nix spent the spring spitting reps with backupsJarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, the former Oregon Duck figures to take over as QB1 sooner than later.”
If Nix were to become an elite NFL quarterback, him starting sooner than later would give the maximum value on their investment as he’s on a a 4-year, $18.6 million contract.
Broncos Could Be In Rebuilding Mode in 2024
The Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since winning Super Bowl 50 following the 2015 season and haven’t had a winning record since 2016. Those are two streaks that don’t look like they’ll come to an end in 2024.
Denver is in a disastrous financial situation for the next two years as it swallows $85 million in dead cap money — one of the side effects of releasing Wilson just two years into a 5-year, $242 million contract with $160 million guaranteed.
Slowly but surely, the Broncos are starting to show signs of actually rebuilding and doing so to support Nix. One example was that Denver drafted Nix’s favorite college target, wide receiver Troy Franklin, in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft.
Another example was the Broncos signing guard Quinn Meinerz to a 4-year, $80 million contract extension in July 2024 — evidence they’re taking steps to protect their young franchise quarterback.
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Broncos Rookie Appears to Take Lead in Starting QB Race