May 19th, 2024, at 3:13 CST, by Adam La Rose
The Broncos added their chosen Russell Wilson successor in the first round of the 2024 draft. Bo Nix is positioned to see plenty of time at the helm of Denver’s offense over the course of his rookie deal, but that may not mean he sees the field right away this year.
The choice to move on from Wilson (along with the more recent one to waive Ben DiNucci) has left Denver with three signal-callers. Nix is joined by offseason deal acquisition Zach Wilson and returnee Jarrett Stidham. The latter is the only one with experience working under head coach Sean Payton.
A report from earlier this month confirmed, to no surprise, that Stidham is expected to start OTAs with the Broncos’ first-team offense. The 27-year-old started two games last year after Wilson’s benching, and he will have the chance to earn the Week 1 starting gig depending on how Nix and Wilson are evaluated over the course of the summer. Payton recently stated that those two passers will receive plenty of looks as well, though.
“We’ll figure it out,” the former Saints Super Bowl winner said during minicamp about a QB rotation once training camp starts in July (via ESPN’s Jeff Legwold). “With young guys, the reps are important. But we’ll have a shift, and we’ll go from there.”
Wilson struggled greatly during his time with the Jets. The 2021 second overall pick was set for backup duties in 2023, but Aaron Rodgers‘ Achilles tear thrust him back into starting action. Wilson did not grow compared to his previous campaigns, and New York dealt him to Denver as part of a Day 3 pick swap. One year remains on his rookie deal, with the Broncos footing half of the bill per the terms of the trade.
Of course, most of the attention at the Broncos’ camp will be aimed at Nix. The Auburn and Oregon product made a record-breaking 61 starts during his time in college, and he is likely much closer to his NFL ceiling than many of the five other passers chosen within the draft’s opening 12 picks. Payton and Co. were frequently tied to Nix in the pre-draft process, and the Broncos had him ranked as their third-best QB prospect.
Given the team’s struggles in finding a true Peyton Manning replacement, the Broncos will be happy with any of their in-house options taking charge in the upcoming quarterback competition over the short term. It will be interesting to see how Nix stacks up against Stidham and Wilson and how quickly he is handed the reins based on their respective performances.
