Former No. 2 Overall Pick out of Starting QB Battle for Broncos

Getty Denver Broncos quarterbacks Bo Nix and Zach Wilson.

The battle to become the starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos is playing out how many predicted it would — with former No. 2 overall pick Zach Wilson on the outside looking in.

Despite starting off training camp with what looked like a three-way battle to start between Wilson, veteran Jarrett Stidham and rookie first-round pick Bo Nix, it’s now down to just Stidham and Nix, according to a report from ESPN.

“Broncos coach Sean Payton acknowledged Thursday what has been seen on the practice field for much of the week,” wrote ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “That, at least for the moment, the three-man competition for the starting quarterback job that was the hallmark of the team’s offseason program, is down to two — Jarrett Stidham and rookie Bo Nix. Zach Wilson was skipped in the rotation to work the starting offense earlier this week as Stidham and Nix have traded looks. Stidham has worked with the starters the most this week, including Thursday’s practice.”

The Broncos traded a sixth-round pick to the New York Jets in exchange for Wilson and a seventh-round pick in April. The Jets selected Wilson No. 2 overall in the 2021 NFL draft.

ESPN Predicted Wilson Wouldn’t Make Roster

According to ESPN’s 53-man roster projections, before training camp, only two quarterbacks would make the final cut for the Broncos and Wilson will be the one left on the outside looking in.

“With Nix expected to be the starter, it is difficult to square the idea the Broncos would spend ‘weeks’ — Payton’s word —  to put together a trade for Wilson and then not keep him on the 53-man roster,” wrote ESPN’s Jeff Legwold. “But keeping Wilson could cost a team fighting depth issues at other positions a player of greater need. The Saints kept four quarterbacks on the roster to open the 2021 season, when Payton was the coach in New Orleans, so he could certainly lobby to keep three this year, but that decision would come with a price.”

Wilson is still playing for his NFL future in Denver. He was the full-time starter the last three seasons for the Jets with a record of 12-21 — a period in which he alienated teammates and coaches alike with his aloof behavior.

Stidham was a fourth-round pick by the New England Patriots out of Auburn in the 2019 NFL draft and has spent the last five seasons as a backup for the Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and Broncos.

Nix played his way into being a first-round pick in the 2024 NFL draft after he set an NCAA single-season record by completing 77.4% of his passes in 2023 and an FBS career record with 61 starts over five seasons at Auburn and Oregon. He was the No. 12 overall pick and the record-tying sixth quarterback taken in the first round.

When Will Broncos Name Starting Quarterback?

Denver’s starting quarterback dilemma won’t likely be solved before they play a few preseason games.

“It’s not etched in stone, we talk about it at the beginning of the week,” Payton said. “It’s hard to rotate three with the first group … We’ll see how Saturday goes … not going to be a scrimmage, but it’s going to be like three phases, like move the ball. Sunday we’ll map out a plan (for the quarterbacks) leading up to (Aug. 11 preseason opener in) Indianapolis.”