Denver Broncos rookies report for training camp on July 17, with veterans following them beginning on July 23. The quarterback competition will be the most discussed position battle of training camp. What’s the biggest storyline at the position, what does the depth and each player bring to the table, and who will make up the position group in the regular season?
Denver Broncos QB competition heats up
Sean Payton wanted a quarterback who could do the things he wanted someone at the position to do within the structure of his offense. It was apparent that Payton and Russell Wilson didn’t mesh last season, and now the Broncos head coach and leader have new faces to work with.
Bo Nix needs to take the reigns in the competition
Bo Nix had a good offseason program showing that has many in Broncos Country excited. It’s evident he is comfortable within the scheme and structure of Payton’s offense and showed that he can operate it during the team’s OTA and minicamp practices.
He and Jarrett Stidham have been consistently good and will be the main names to watch for Denver’s QB battle. What stands out about Nix that will allow him to hopefully take the reins of the competition is his athletic ability, decisiveness, protection of the football, and the rhythm in which he plays. Whether he had a clean pocket or faced pressure in OTAs, Nix didn’t appear to be phased by pressure. He stood in the pocket, progressed through his reads, and made good throws and decisions consistently. When the pads come on, it will be imperative for him that this continues. He hasn’t looked like a rookie in terms of how he prepares or carries himself, appearing comfortable at the line of scrimmage, reading the defensive coverage, and audibling when necessary.
Whether working with the first, second, or third offensive units, he looked good regardless of the different personnel around him. That’s something that Payton and Nix can continue to build on.
Jarrett Stidham not going away easily
When the Denver Broncos drafted Nix, many people, including myself, wrote Jarrett Stidham off. In an ideal world, Nix should be the starter for Denver, considering his draft status, but Stidham made it known early in OTAs that he was going to do whatever he could to compete for the starting job.
He looked more comfortable and confident this offseason than he did last year in training camp. Stidham can play effective football, but the question is whether or not his abilities are sustainable. Without possessing a lot of starting experience, he’s as big of a mystery for the starting job as anybody else, but he’s entering his fifth year. He’s a veteran who has been around some good coaches and QBs in his NFL career and has a veteran presence that makes him easily loved as a teammate by nearly everybody in the locker room. When Stidham worked with the first, second, and third team offensive units, he also looked comfortable as he and Bo Nix stood out drastically compared to Zach Wilson. Stidham was also part of some of the offense’s biggest plays in OTAs, throwing two touchdown passes in the team’s red zone period on the final day of mandatory minicamp and a 55-yard touchdown throw in OTAs to Marvin Mims.
Even if the competition is too close to call between Nix and Stidham, the widespread belief is that Nix would win the starting job in that scenario. If Stidham were to win the starting job, that wouldn’t necessarily be a bad thing for Nix either. In that scenario, Stidham would face a lot of pressure if the offense struggles, and any inconsistent performances would lead to fans chanting for the rookie to come in. Regardless, pressure is something Stidham knows comes with the job, and he doesn’t seem to be phased by the team’s decision to revamp the position room this offseason.
Zach Wilson trying to find his footing
After the Denver Broncos traded for Zach Wilson, many fans in Broncos Country wondered if that would eliminate Payton from pursuing a QB in the 2024 NFL Draft. For Payton, it didn’t change his approach or strategy. Wilson’s arrival in Denver was certainly a talking point surrounding the hyperbole around the position, but for the former Jets QB, he’s just trying to find his footing while trying to compete for a job.
Wilson struggled the most in OTAs out of all the Broncos’ quarterbacks. Whether it was the first, second, or third-team offensive units, Wilson was far too timid in open practice sessions. He has a big arm, and that’s evident when you watch him practice, but sometimes, it leads to him returning to some of the bad habits he demonstrated as a member of the Jets. In 7-on-7, when a receiver wasn’t open, he had several instances where he scrambled for a run, defeating the purpose of the drill. Sometimes, when facing pressure, he’d rely on his arm strength and throw off his back foot, which led to an interception in OTAs.
While he didn’t have the best showing in the first stages of the offseason program, he has a chance in training camp and the preseason to get more comfortable in a brand new offensive scheme and system and perform with more confidence. However, as his room to grow stretches out, Wilson has more pressure to stack strong performances, with the early returns on Nix and Stidham standing out drastically more.
What does the Denver Broncos 53-man roster look like at QB?
The Denver Broncos will likely carry two quarterbacks on the active roster this upcoming season. My prediction is that Bo Nix will win the starting job, and Jarrett Stidham will serve as his backup this season. Zach Wilson will more than likely be released and return to the practice squad unless a team sees something in him during the preseason, and they may choose to take a flyer on him.
