Rookie quarterback Bo Nix appears to be taking steps in the right direction amid the competition involving journeyman Jarrett Stidham and former New York Jets signal-caller Zach Wilson for the Denver Broncos’ starting job.
“All three of [the quarterbacks] are doing well,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters on Thursday, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “Specifically to Bo, he’s doing really well. He’s picking it up. There’s a lot that’s going in. He’s throwing the ball extremely well.”
The Broncos were linked with Nix before they made him the 12th overall pick of the 2024 NFL Draft. Some view him as an ideal fit for Payton’s offense, and Denver reportedly ranked Nix ahead of Drake Maye (the No. 3 selection), Michael Penix Jr. (No. 8) and J.J. McCarthy (No. 10).
“I think that you immediately begin to feel the speed difference and the reaction difference and the length,” Payton said about what Nix needs to learn before possibly starting the Week 1 game at the Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 8. “What was open in college, those windows were bigger. Generally speaking, then you begin to adapt to the timing.”
Stidham had over a year to win Payton over and clearly didn’t accomplish that task. Meanwhile, Wilson is enjoying a somewhat career reset after flopping with the Jets across the past three seasons.
“One of the things that all of these [do is] get the ball out quick,” Payton added about the three quarterbacks. “Holding onto the ball and waiting can sometimes be obviously detrimental. I think it’s the studying and the understanding of the defensive scheme and then understanding where the windows are in regard to the spacing. I do think that begins the first time you’re out here and everyone is moving around full speed. It’s like, ‘Wow!’ The speed of your simulator just went up a little bit.”
Some believe Payton could wait until Denver’s schedule gets a little easier in October before he throws Nix into the fire of regular-season action. As of Friday morning, DraftKings Sportsbook had Nix tied for fifth (with two others) among the betting favorites at +1800 odds to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award for the upcoming campaign.
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