There’s really no consensus
Other than Bo Nix.
And since everyone – including Kay Adams – knows that, there’s no point in dissecting what’s going to happen with Bo Nix this coming Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. Barring a meteoric fall, the starting job as the quarterback of the Denver Broncos appears to be his to lose.
But there’s still much to be decided. In the Broncos first preseason game, all three quarterbacks played relatively well. And while all the excitement generally surrounded the debut of Nix, Zach Wilson quietly had an excellent game – at times showing the big arm and raw talent that made him a No. 2 overall draft pick.
Still, it looks as if Jarrett Stidham could be Sean Payton’s choice. It’s impossible to know, as Payton speaks highly of both Stidham and Wilson, but Stidham took first-team reps leading up to today’s joint practice with the Packers. Perhaps that’s a sign he’s still held in a slightly higher regard. Or, maybe the job is still very much up for grabs.
Making matters more interesting is that fact other teams around the league could be desparately in need of either a starter or true backup. Most notably, the injury bug hit Minnesota hard when the No. 10 overall pick J.J. McCarthy suffered a season-ending knee injury.
Given last Sunday’s performance, it suddenly looks as if the Broncos are “rich” when it comes to their quarterback room.
“I like what I’m seeing,” Payton said of Wilson on Wednesday. “That’s one of the pluses about bringing someone like him in here. That position is so important.”
The coach also added: “There’s a poise because he’s been there. I felt like he was real comfortable. Again, we were in and out of the huddle and there were no clock issues. All of that was smooth – but then his decision making and he’s aggressive. I like that he’s going to take shots, and he’s got a good live arm I thought he had a real good game and I’m encouraged.”
To be fair, Payton wasn’t asked about Stidham so directly, so there’s not necessarily a direct, head-to-head comparison. Still, his glowing review of the quarterback who ran the third-team on Sunday feels telling.
Who will emerge? Who could be traded? We asked our own Broncos experts to weigh in.
Dan Mohrmann
This is a weird scenario where you’re trying to figure out what exactly you want in a guy that you hope never sees the field. And perhaps it’s even taking it a step further in seeing what you might need if the unthinkable happens and Bo Nix isn’t ready to be QB1 of the Denver Broncos. From a wide lens, it appears that Stidham would be the “safe” option, but is he? Or is he at least “safer” than Wilson. A stat or two (sacks taken in their respective careers) would say perhaps Stidham is the way to go, but a quick eye test from the preseason opener against the Colts says otherwise. Wilson led several scoring drives. Stidham led none. Neither quarterback was sacked, which is a good thing. Wilson kept the ball out of the Colts hands while Stidham tossed one pick – yes, I understand that Samaje Perine should technically be to blame, but as one of my golf buddies always says, “They don’t draw pictures on the scorecards.” I would love to see Wilson get some time with the second unit to see if what we saw last week was the real deal or a mirage. If it’s the real deal, keep the younger player with the bigger upside and let’s be completely void of veteran journeyman quarterbacks, at least for one year.
Shawn Drotar
Zach Wilson, despite the fact that he has 33 starts in his wobbly NFL career already, is only six months older than rookie Bo Nix. His youth and experience – even if some of that needs deprogrammed from his time with the Jets – makes him an ideal candidate to become the long-term backup quarterback for the Broncos. Jarrett Stidham, with only 16 appearances and only four career starts, hasn’t truly established himself in the NFL yet, and releasing him would save the Broncos $4 million against the cap. Both are free agents after the season, but Wilson’s athleticism and eye-popping arm strength are worth watching against the Packers; Sean Payton’s reclamation project still has an opportunity to surprise.
Cody Roark
Jarrett Stidham should get more reps this weekend. Especially with some of the QB rooms and injuries around the league, it could garner some potential trade interest and could free Denver up nearly $5M in cap space if it’s the right move. Ideally, Stidham would be the best backup option for Bo Nix and would be a valuable person to mentor him this season.
Mark Knudson
For a change, the Broncos are in an enviable position when it comes to QB’s. This week, it will be key to keep BOTH Stidham and Wilson healthy. Other team’s QB’s are starting to get hurt – just look at the Vikings – and by the time cut down day arrives, if Denver has three healthy NFL-caliber QB’s on their roster, they should be able to flip one – probably Wilson – for a decent player or draft pick. Another brick for the rebuild.
Rich Kurtzman
Bo Nix is the guy, the future of quarterback play in Denver. That leaves Stidham and Wilson in the battle for backup. I expect Stidham to win that job, as he’s outperformed Wilson all camp. Wilson’s inconsistency is a bummer because the Broncos likely hoped he could be No. 2 and spot start if Nix is injured or struggles. Sean Payton hasn’t committed to three QBs on his roster so Wilson may end up gone soon.
Nate Lundy
Personally, I would rather see Zach Wilson as the backup and Jarrett Stidham as the practice squad, third-string QB. Wilson has more experience as a starter in the NFL. Yes, I know he’s somewhat damaged goods, but he’s still been there, done that. Now, if behind the scenes Wilson isn’t picking up on Sean Payton’s offense then that is a totally different story. At the end of the day…Let’s face it, there’s not a team in the NFL that is going to shock the world with their backup QB, so I’m not sure it matters.
All eyes Sunday night will be on Nix, as everyone wants to know if the rookie’s maiden voyage was for real. But the rest of the league will likely be taking a closer look at Stidham and Wilson, one of which may be worth more to someone else than the Broncos.
