The Denver Broncos have named rookie Bo Nix as their starting quarterback.
Head coach Sean Payton made the announcement Wednesday.
The Broncos selected Nix with the No. 12 pick in April’s draft out of Oregon. He has performed well in training camp and in two preseason games, and earns the starting designation ahead of Denver’s preseason finale Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Nix wins the job over veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, whom the Broncos acquired from the New York Jets during the offseason.
Is Nix the answer to Denver’s QB woes?
The Broncos drafted Nix hoping that he’s the answer to quarterback woes that have plagued the franchise since the Peyton Manning era that ended with a Super Bowl victory after the 2015 season. The Broncos haven’t made the playoffs since Manning’s last season.
Since Manning’s retirement, 13 different quarterbacks have started for the Broncos including Trevor Siemian, Brock Osweiler, Joe Flacco, Teddy Bridgewater and Russell Wilson, who joined the Broncos from the Seattle Seahawks in 2022. The trade to acquire Wilson goes down as one of the worst in NFL history.
The Broncos parted with a package that included two first-round draft picks, two second-round picks and three players, then signed Wilson to a $242 million extension with $161 million in guarantees. Wilson played two losing seasons in Denver before the Broncos cut their losses and released him in the offseason at the end of Sean Payton’s first year as head coach.
High stakes, pressure for Sean Payton
The decisions to draft and start Nix mark the start of a new era in earnest under Payton, who was not with the franchise when it traded for Russell Wilson. Nix is Payton’s guy, and his successes and failures at quarterback will define Payton’s tenure in Denver.
Payton developed a reputation as an offensive and quarterback guru in 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints in which he and Drew Brees led the franchise to its first and only Super Bowl win. He carries that reputation and the expectations that come with it to Denver.
Nix’s rise to first-round pick
In college, Nix earned the starting job as a freshman at Auburn in 2019 and was named SEC Freshman of the Year. His consistency and accuracy (59.4% completion rate) waned in three seasons at Auburn, and he transferred to Oregon in 2022.
He thrived in two seasons with the Ducks, completing 74.9% of his passes for an average of 4,050 yards, 37 touchdowns and five interceptions per season. He was named Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 over USC’s Caleb Williams, who won the 2022 Heisman Trophy and was selected first overall by the Chicago Bears in April.
Nix’s performance at Oregon earned him a first-round selection. He was the sixth quarterback taken after Williams, Jayden Daniels (No. 2, Commanders), Drake Maye (No. 3, Patriots), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8, Falcons) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 10, Vikings).
Nix has impressed in two brief preseason appearances, completing 23 of 30 passes for 205 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He completed 8 of 9 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown in a 27-2 win over the Green Bay Packers last week.
Preseason stats, of course, are to be taken with a grain of salt. But Nix has impressed nonetheless and earned his first shot at real NFL action for Denver’s regular-season opener on the road against the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 8.
Source Agencies
