Strike 3: Bo Nix doesn’t have a long (or distinguished) list of players to out-perform to become the best Denver Broncos quarterback the team has ever drafted.
First things first, of course. Nix has to out-perform both Jarrett Stitham and Zach Wilson just to become the starting QB here in the Mile High this season. If you’re a Broncos fan, you A: Should want to see a stiff competition between the three men in order to bring out the best in each, and B: Hope by the end of his rookie season, Nix has become “the guy” moving forward.
Then we can start talking longer term.
But just for kicks, ask yourself who’s the best among the 44 quarterbacks that have been drafted by Denver’s professional football franchise since the team came into existence in 1960, when they chose the immortal Dean Look.
There are plenty of names fans will recognize, including fan favorites like Heisman winner and first round draft pick Tim Tebow. Plus fellow first rounder Jay Cutler, along with college stars like Rick Leach from Michigan and Tommy Maddox from UCLA. There were sky-high hopes for Drew Lock, Paxton Lynch and Brock Osweiler, plus surprises like Brian Griese. Both Griese and the talent-impaired Trevor Siemian were placed in no-win situations when they got their shot at starting, trying to follow franchise icons John Elways (acquired via trade) and Peyton Manning (best free agent signing in NFL history.)
Nix comes in with those same sky-high expectations, but following Russell Wilson might make it a bit easier.
Despite his throwing limitations, Tebow won that memorable playoff game. Cutler made the Pro Bowl after his third season as a Bronco, but is remembered as having a better post-Broncos career than he did here. Maddox was the league’s Comeback Player of the Year with Pittsburgh in 2002. Griese was a Pro Bowl selection in 2000, and like Maddox, has a Super Bowl ring he earned as a backup QB.
Ironically, the offensive coordinator of the Super Bowl winning team that Griese was on, Gary Kubiak, might have the best case of all for being the best quarterback ever drafted by the Denver Broncos.
That 1983 draft is best remembered for Elway of course, who the Broncos acquired after he’d been drafted first overall by the Baltimore Colts. But the team drafted Kubiak out of Texas A&M in the eighth round that year, and while he was never the full-time starter for obvious reasons, when called upon, the future Super Bowl winning head coach consistently delivered for some of the best Broncos teams ever.
Kubiak’s stats aren’t eye popping (none of the Broncos QB draft picks are) but did complete 58% of his passes over 119 regular season games in nine seasons. He helped Denver reach three Super Bowls as a player. Of course as an assistant and head coach, Kubiak has four Super Bowl rings.
Filling a role and doing exactly what your team needs you to do is an underrated quality in an athlete. Kubiak did that exceptionally well during his playing days.
So for Nix, becoming the best quarterback ever drafted by the Denver Broncos would really one require a couple of Pro Bowl appearances and a couple of postseason victories. It’s not a high bar. Hopefully the leap begins soon.
