The Denver Broncos have named rookie Bo Nix their starting quarterback.
Head Coach Sean Payton made the announcement Wednesday.
The Broncos selected Nix with the No. 12 overall pick out of Oregon in April’s draft. He performed well in training camp and two preseason games and earned the starting spot ahead of Denver’s final preseason game on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals.
Nix beats out veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, who the Broncos signed from the New York Jets in the offseason.
Is Nix the answer to Denver’s quarterback problems?
The Broncos signed Nix hoping he would be the answer to the quarterback problems that have plagued the franchise since the Peyton Manning era, which ended with a Super Bowl victory following the 2015 season. The Broncos have not made the playoffs since Manning’s final season.
Since Manning’s retirement, 13 different quarterbacks have played 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 sign Wilson is considered one of the worst in NFL history.
The Broncos parted with a package that included two first-round draft picks, two second-round draft picks and three players, then signed him to a $242 million contract extension with $161 million guaranteed. Wilson played two losing seasons in Denver before the Broncos cut their losses and fired him in the offseason at the end of Sean Payton’s first year as head coach.
High stakes, high pressure for Sean Payton
The decision to sign Nix and start him marks the beginning of a new era under Payton, who was not with the franchise when it signed Russell Wilson. Nix is Payton’s guy, and his successes and failures as a quarterback will define Payton’s tenure in Denver.
Payton earned a reputation as an offensive and quarterback guru during 15 seasons with the New Orleans Saints, during which he and Drew Brees led the franchise to its first and only Super Bowl victory. He brings that reputation and the expectations that come with it to Denver.
Nix’s rise to first-round pick
In college, Nix earned a starting spot as a freshman at Auburn in 2019 and was named SEC Freshman of the Year. His consistency and accuracy (59.4% completion rate) declined over three seasons at Auburn, and he transferred to Oregon in 2022.
He shined 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 the 2023 Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year, surpassing USC’s Caleb Williams, who won the 2022 Heisman Trophy and was selected first overall by the Chicago Bears in April.
Thanks to his performance at Oregon, Nix was selected in the first round as the sixth quarterback taken after Williams, Jayden Daniels (No. 2, Commanders), Drake Maye (No. 3, Patriots), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8, Falcons) and JJ 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. In last week’s 27-2 win over the Green Bay Packers, he completed 8 of 9 passes for 80 yards and a touchdown.
Preseason stats should of course be taken with a grain of salt, but Nix has impressed nonetheless and earned his first chance at real NFL action in Denver’s season opener on the road against the Seattle Seahawks on September 8.
