The Broncos reached the inevitable Wednesday when head coach Sean Payton announced rookie Bo Nix as the starting quarterback.
But even though one of the most talked-about position battles has ended, the uncertainty surrounding the future of Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson remains.
Payton didn’t shed light on who will play in Sunday’s preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals or how many quarterbacks will be on the 53-man roster. He had previously mentioned there’s a chance the team keeps all three, which would not be a shocking move for the former Saints coach.
In Payton’s final season in New Orleans in 2021, he kept four quarterbacks — Jameis Winston, Trevor Siemian, Taysom Hill and Ian Book — on the roster after Super Bowl champion and 13-time Pro Bowler Drew Brees retired.
However, keeping the Broncos’ trio of “orphaned dogs” could cut into other position groups. For now, Nix is the starter, and the rest will play itself out when Denver cuts down the roster Aug. 27.
“That room has been outstanding,” Payton said. “We’ve got some tough decisions as we get into the roster.”
Payton gave Wilson his flowers, praising the former New York Jets quarterback’s arm strength and his decision-making. Wilson, who looked shaky during Denver’s offseason program and the start of training camp, has come into his own in recent weeks at practice. In the preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, Wilson completed 10 of 13 passes for 117 yards. He was 2 for 6 with 29 yards and a touchdown last week against the Packers in limited reps.
After the Broncos’ joint practice with Green Bay, Wilson said he has felt rejuvenated since being traded to Denver, and the change of scenery has been good for him after a turbulent three years with New York.
Payton said Wilson, the second overall pick in the 2021 draft, had one of his better practices on Wednesday.
“There were three throws today where (Wilson) was on a little bit of a heater. I mean, it was impressive,” Payton said.
As for Stidham, Payton said he could be a good resource for Nix. Since the second week of camp, it seemed like Stidham and Nix were going head-to-head for the starting job, as they split first-team reps each day at practice.
Ultimately, Nix came out on top after completing 23 of 30 passes for 205 yards and a pair of touchdowns in two preseason games. Stidham, on the other hand, had 102 yards and two interceptions.
“There’s a lot of room for growth with (Nix) and the same with Jarrett and Zach,” Payton said. “I like this room right now and where it’s at.”
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Originally Published: August 21, 2024 at 4:09 p.m.
