Sean Payton plays enough golf at his summer place in Idaho to develop an appreciation for the finer points of the game.
He sees some similarities across sports to the one he coaches and his new quarterback, first-round draft pick Bo Nix.
“It’s almost like watching a good golfer,” Payton said. “When you watch his game over two years, there’s a patience to how he plays. The ball comes out. I don’t want to use the term boring, that’s not the right term, but pretty good decisions with each play. The efficiency with which he’s operating. All of that.”
“I wish I played golf that way, like I played quarterback,” Nix joked in the locker room after Saturday’s rookie minicamp practice.
But on the football field? That’s Nix’s game. Doesn’t matter if it’s a last-minute drive against Washington or trying to churn through install material to be fully prepared for his opening days on the field as a Denver Bronco.
“It’s all a part of operation, preparation and literally kind of dumbing it down and making it as simple as possible,” he said. “Knowing where your eyes are supposed to go, knowing where your reads are, getting your eyes on them and then going through it quickly.”
Everybody in a rookie minicamp is fighting for something. For a tryout player, it’s a 90-man roster spot or maybe even just good enough tape that somebody else takes notice around the league. For a college free agent, maybe it’s to open eyes before jumping into the deep end beginning Monday with the rest of the veterans. For a draft pick, it’s to show they’re learning fast and tracking toward being able to make an early impact.
Nix has a similar set of challenges but also in some ways a different one entirely. He’s learning about the huddle and the cadence and the way practice is set up just like everybody else. He’ll be competing for playing time just like many of the others on the field with him this weekend.
Nobody else on the field Saturday, however, is also learning to live with the whole potential-face-of-the-franchise thing, too.
Nix doesn’t get a provisional license to learn the ropes outside the spotlight. There’s no grace period on becoming a high-profile guy. Nix was from the moment he got drafted and will be as long as he’s a Bronco.
“I’m super excited,” Nix said. “I’ve only been here a couple days and I can’t wait to get out and about and see everything. But super excited to be here. The city is incredible. I can’t believe I get to wear a Broncos jersey and go out there and do what so many greats have done before me. I don’t take that lightly and I’m not going to take it for granted.
“Pressure gives you opportunity and the more pressure and responsibility you have, the more you have to go out there and consistently earn it.”
Nix is adjusting to that part of his life by focusing on the smaller stuff. Asked if he had plans for any early purchases after he signed his contract Friday — as the No. 12 overall pick, it comes with a $10.36 million signing bonus — Nix said, “Not so far. I’m just trying to worry about this offense first.”
On Saturday, that looked like a crisp out-breaker to former Oregon teammate Troy Franklin on the first play of a team period. A dart of a seam ball during team drills to tight end Thomas Yassmin later on. Extra reps working on footwork from under center when former Colorado School of Mines quarterback John Matocha got his chances at quarterback. Working on the footwork of opening up from under center and handing a ball off or pitching it to a back.
“Essentially, they just want to see me go out and execute it,” Nix said. “It’s my job as the quarterback to get the play started and get the ball where it’s supposed to be getting. A lot of that is completing passes and run-game operation.”
So far, so good, according to Payton, who noted the early date on the calendar and the lack of pads or contact in minicamp but mostly didn’t hold back in praising the rookie.
“So much of it is huddle, snap count, break the huddle, shotgun, under center,” Payton said. “All of that is a process. We said it to ’em at the start: All of us are behind. We’re behind the team relative to where they’re at, both from a conditioning standpoint but also mentally. We’re not going to get there today or in two days, but the objective is to get there soon. In time for training camp.
“He’s handling the install well. He had a pretty good practice today. He’s grinding through it and he’s doing a good job with it.”
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