Breaking Down Broncos' New QB Depth Chart Ahead of OTAs

The Denver Broncos begin Phase III of the offseason program this week, so it's time to get acquainted with the new quarterback room.

The Denver Broncos' 90-man roster features a new quarterback depth chart. In the wake of a free-agent signing and a successful try-out at Broncos rookie minicamp, the depth chart includes a couple of new names. 

The Broncos are set to officially kick off Phase III of the offseason program on Tuesday, May 23, with the first set of organized team activities. With real action soon to hit the fields of Centura Health Training Center, it's time to begin examining the Broncos' new-look depth charts, starting with the quarterbacks. 

Let's dive in.

QB1: Russell Wilson

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Wilson returns as the starter in Denver and he's on a mission to prove that last year was a fluke, a bump in the road. Bolstered by the arrival of Sean Payton as head coach, Wilson's outlook, even in light of his concerning 2022 regression, is getting brighter by the day. 

Hall-of-Fame head coach Dick Vermeil recently said of Payton resurrecting Wilson's career, "If he can't do it, it can't be done." While I agree with the sentiment, that's far from a prediction that Payton will succeed. But, don't worry. He will. 

Look for Payton to continue to batten down the hatches, implementing a diverse, power rushing attack and utilizing Wilson's mobility to keep defenses guessing, while taking shots downfield when opportunity knocks on play-action. Wilson's days of passing for 40-plus touchdowns and nearly rushing for 1,000 yards might be in the rear-view, but the sun is still shining on his decorated career, even entering his age-35 season. 

Payton is just the coach to make some Wilson hay while that big burning ball of gas in the sky keeps doing its thing. 

QB2: Jarrett Stidham

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Payton's hand-picked fail-safe arrived this past spring on a two-year, $10 million deal. Stidham impressed Payton in his two starts for Las Vegas late last year, and the Broncos view him as a starting-caliber QB.

Stidham's presence, if nothing else, will create a little competitive anxiety for Wilson, which can do nothing but help bring out the best in both players. Stidham is a 26-year-old former fourth-round draft pick of New England's. 

He has two career starts under his belt, both of which came last year. 

QB3: Jarrett Guarantano

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The previous coaching regime in Denver liked Guarantano enough to promote him to the 53-man roster last December, signing him to a two-year contract in the process. The decision was spurred, in part, by "competition" from other teams looking to swoop him off Denver's practice squad.

Guarantano, 6-foot-4, 230 pounds, was an undrafted rookie last year, who initially spent the preseason in Arizona. As a Cardinal, he went 17-of-30 for 232 yards and three touchdowns. We know how Nathaniel Hackett viewed Guarantano. It's unclear whether Payton shares a brain with his failed predecessor. 

Time will tell. 

QB4: Ben DiNucci

Gabriel Christus/DenverBroncos.com

The Broncos invited Ben DiNucci to try out at rookie minicamp, and while his performance wasn't perfect, he managed to win Payton over. So much so that Payton not only signed DiNucci, but even joked publicly about him, saying that there's always a job as a Walmart greeter if the NFL doesn't work out.

Payton's seeming gallows humor was only made public because DiNucci had done enough to impress the veteran coach already. DiNucci led the XFL in passing as the Seattle Sea Dragons' quarterback.

Drafted in 2020 in the seventh round by the Dallas Cowboys, the James Madison University product would go on to appear in three games as he bounced between the practice squad and active roster. The Cowboys waived him last August.

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DiNucci then landed with the Sea Dragons later in the fall. He's a 6-foot-3, 210-pound quarterback whose 374 passing attempts, 272 completions, 2,671 passing yards, and 305 QB rushing yards led the XFL. His 23 passing touchdowns finished second in the league.

Over 10 starts, DiNucci also tossed a league-high 13 interceptions. But he went 7-3 as a starter.

Payton likes something about DiNucci. 

Bottom Line

If this article was meant to predict the Broncos' eventual QB depth chart, DiNucci would be listed as QB3. Guarantano will have to impress Payton to stick beyond August and keep DiNucci at bay. 

Considering DiNucci's relative experience in Dallas and the XFL, Guarantano can't hold a candle to it right now. But jobs are not won based on resumes. They're won out on the grass based on performance. 

All things being equal, though, what DiNucci has going for him, that Guarantano doesn't, is that he was a hand-picked Payton QB. It'll be fun to see how things shake out when organized team activities start next week, and the quarterback competition stretches into training camp and the preseason. 

Denver's QB depth chart is in good shape. Wilson sits at the top, and if, for some reason, he's beyond Payton's help and fails to launch in 2023, Stidham is there to step in and operate the scheme. 

That also applies to injury. Again, Wilson will turn 35 next fall and has missed games due to the injury bug in each of the last two seasons, after being a veritable iron man for nine of the 10 seasons he was in Seattle. 

Brett Rypien departed for L.A. However, the Broncos upgraded the QB room, not only by making a few depth additions, but most importantly, by hiring the right head coach. 

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