Broncos Insiders Illustrate How Bo Nix is Separating From Jarrett Stidham

The Denver Broncos quarterback competition is getting spicy.

Jul 26, 2024; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) and quarterback Bo Nix (10) and quarterback Zach Wilson (4) during training camp at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix has steadily been building up a head of steam since training camp began. The first-rounder had an impressive Saturday performance — Day 4 of Broncos camp — which saw him bounce back with three red-zone touchdowns after getting picked off by veteran cornerback Levi Wallace.

Monday was the Broncos' first padded practice, and it just so happened (if you believe in coincidence) that it was Nix's turn in the three-quarterback rotation to run with the starting offense. Following the practice, buzz continued to mount about the recent Heisman Trophy finalist.

Fast forward to Wednesday, and Nix is continuing to raise eyebrows in a positive way. The Broncos' had a heavy emphasis on third-down drills, and Nix did a solid job of executing, walking the razor's edge of protecting the ball and taking calculated risks.

Denver Sports' Andrew Mason isn't alone in saying that Day 7 of Broncos camp was Nix's "best day" so far. Notable amid Nix's good day at the office was Broncos newcomer wideout Josh Reynolds absolutely going off and, at times, at the expense of shutdown cornerback Patrick Surtain II.

Onlookers report that Jarrett Stidham won't throw at Surtain, even if his assignment is open. Wednesday was another example of Nix's not being afraid to throw at an elite cornerback because it's about finding the open guy, not avoiding a coverage boss.

"I think he's finding the open guy. I think that's what that is," Mason told Orange & Blue Today co-host Cecil Lammey after Wednesday's practice. "See opening, throw to opening, and it doesn't particularly matter who it's against, and probably more importantly, it doesn't matter who he's throwing to. So if that's the case, get ready, if Bo Nix is the quarterback, for maybe a different Bronco leading the team in receptions and receiving yards... That's the way it's going to be. If he's hitting the open man, then it'll be hard to defend this team because you won't be able to key on one person."

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Music to Sean Payton's ears and sweet relief to his football eyes after suffering through a tremulous 2023 campaign with Russell Wilson as his quarterback. The ball rarely went where the play-call designed it to go, with Wilson at the helm, and Payton's frustrations over his low-volume, disjointed passing offense eventually boiled over publicly late in the season with sideline spats. Wilson was eventually benched and released.

What Payton wants is a quarterback who can be an extension of him on the field, while also being his own guy. That's what Payton had all those years in New Orleans with Drew Brees, and it's what Mike Shanahan had in the '90s with John Elway.

Nix is not only a direct reflection of the smart, cocky, and assertive Payton but also an extension of that personality on the gridiron. The early returns on Nix are more than encouraging, and even though it's only a matter of course before Payton gives the reins to the rookie, the Broncos' quarterback competition 'decision' will likely go down to the wire.

To paraphrase Lammey, Stidham has played not to lose the starting job while Nix is playing to win it. There's a massive philosophical chasm between those two polar mindsets, and only one of them is conducive to the NFL.

"It seems like Nix is trying to win the job and Stidham is trying not to lose the job. Everyone can easily say that Stidham is the leader after four days, but will he be the leader by the end of this upcoming week?"

- Cecil Lammey

Like Herm Edwards infamously said, "You play to win the game!" Thus, playing not to lose is a, well, loser's mindset, and it always comes out in the wash eventually. Payton's been around a long time and he's been to the top of the NFL mountain. These observations are inherent to him and completely second nature.

Still, the grizzled head coach is keeping his public praise of Nix to a relative minimum. Privately, my bet is that Payton and his offensive assistants are high-fiving and fist-pumping in the coaches' meeting room when watching the rookie's film.

“Look... I thought overall pretty well," Payton said of Nix's performance on Wednesday. "There are clips and plays where you’re going to look at and correct, and then there are others where you’re going to say, ‘Hey—’ but I do have to watch the film because I’m looking at so much. He [Nix] ran with the [No.] 1’s, and I like his progress.”

Stidham is a handy backup to have in a pinch because he won't go out there and singlehandedly lose you a game. But he's never going to go out and be the reason the Broncos won a game — and I typically stray from using absolutes when covering the NFL. We know what Stidham is.

Meanwhile, Nix has done well protecting the ball while also pushing it downfield when opportunity knocks, irrespective of who's in coverage when he uncorks a pass to the open receiver. Good things.

Lost among this conversation is the progress of Zach Wilson. Broncos fans will be forgiven for asking, "Who?"

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