Jarrett Stidham is like your grandparents talking on speakerphone in a crowded airplane. Charming, but annoying.
Stidham is well-liked and universally respected in the locker room. The problem? He is the present on a team where the future remains the lone concern.
As expected, coach Sean Payton named Stidham the starter for Sunday’s preseason game at Indianapolis. The game is Aug. 11. Breathe easy Broncos Country. The only date that matters is Sept. 8, the regular-season opener at Seattle. If Bo Nix does not top the depth chart in that game, then get a prescription for your orange-and-blue rash, sign up for goat yoga and wear a mouthpiece for your grinding teeth.
Steady Stidham served as the No. 1 in the offseason and much of training camp. He gets first dibs — likely 15 plays — and Nix follows. Then the roles flip next Sunday against Green Bay, Nix starting in front of a huge preseason crowd.
Stidham is Payton’s safety school. He can pencil in the sixth-year veteran and know he will take care of the ball, even if the results are pedestrian. Nix, as the 12th overall pick, features upside that could finally end the quarterback carousel (We are at 13 starters and counting since Peyton Manning retired).
Consider Sunday’s rotation a formality, a sign of respect for Stidham. If Nix holds serve, then capitalizes with the 1s against the Packers, he will position himself to secure the job against the Seahawks. Preseason games don’t count. But they do provide a pathway for Nix to become the starter.
Less Talk, More Action: Coach Deion Sanders’ Friday news conference felt more like a promo for a WWE event than a discussion about the upcoming season. Sanders turned reporters and questions into an excuse to air personal grievances and pet peeves. This is his prerogative. But watching it all play out, my underlying takeaway was simple: CU better win, or the expiration date on the talk and bravado is coming. …
Tory, Tory, Tory: Speaking of college football, Colorado State has bolstered its roster, leaning on opportunity over extravagant NIL money. Returning Tory Horton remains the best reason to watch. He is CSU’s latest NFL receiver. …
Money matters: Rockies outfielder Kris Bryant has an atrocious contract, back issues and is aging before our eyes. But Anthony Rendon’s deal with the Angels — seven years, $245 million — is worse. According to the Orange County Register, the Angels have used 28 different third basemen since Rendon joined the team. …
Reserve Clause: Diana Taurasi has devolved into a symbolic role for Team USA in the Olympics. She is in line to win her sixth gold medal, but barely plays, averaging 0.7 points per game. Tell me again why isn’t Caitlin Clark on this team? …
Ute-topia: Utah coach Kyle Whittingham told me he viewed Devaughn Vele as a younger version of Tim Patrick. He has been spot on. For me, it is no longer a question of whether Vele makes the Broncos, but rather how much he plays. …
Homer Happy: Jackson Holliday, son of Rockies great Matt Holliday, returned to the big leagues and began swatting home runs for the Orioles. It won’t be long before he is joined by his younger brother Ethan. Ethan, a slugging infielder, is the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, meaning the Rockies could take him. …
MAIL TIME
The Broncos roster appears the most thin at the safety position, especially with Caden Sterns being waived. With Justin Simmons still out there and unsigned, why don’t the Broncos go to him and ask him to return?
— Scott Bristol, email
The Broncos are banking on Brandon Jones (hamstring) getting healthy, P.J. Locke taking advantage of an opportunity and JL Skinner making his mark. There are no plans to bring back Simmons, who worked out for the Saints this week. Payton appears to want more physicality from the position, which is why the Broncos remain bullish on Skinner in his second season.
