The Denver Broncos will travel on Thursday to Atlanta for their Friday preseason opener against the Falcons. While most starters will play, Broncos QB Bo Nix will not.

Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix will not play in Friday’s preseason opener vs. Atlanta Falcons

There’s a lot of anticipation and excitement about seeing Bo Nix step back on the field in an actual game setting, just eight months removed from the season-ending ankle injury he suffered in the Denver Broncos’ playoff win against the Buffalo Bills. The anticipation and excitement will have to wait until next week, though, as head coach Sean Payton announced that Nix will not play on Friday.

Payton said that Nix would be playing if it were a regular-season game.

“No, if we were playing a game,” Payton said. “You guys have watched practice — he wants to play. He’ll play the next two weeks. I think that was probably something that was already decided maybe a month ago. But if we were playing a game, I would say he would play — and you’d have to ask him, but I’d say 100%.”

Nix will play in the Broncos’ second and third preseason games against the Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings. Bo will travel to the game with the team as well.

Payton mentioned that a group of players who have been dealing with injuries will stay in Denver. It’s unclear who those names are just yet, but we’ll likely find out Friday.

Outside of Nix, starters are expected to play around 10-15 snaps, according to Payton.

Payton also announced that center Michael Deiter suffered a season-ending quad injury in Tuesday’s practice and would be out for the season.