Insider Predicts When Broncos Will Announce Starting QB Decision

Will it be Bo Nix or Jarrett Stidham? And when will the Denver Broncos announce it?

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

As NFL training camps continue apace, Sports Illustrated's long-time insider Albert Breer is making the rounds with each team. After spending some time at Denver Broncos HQ this week, Breer shared his takeaways from what he observed.

It's no coincidence that Breer's first takeaway keyed in on the Broncos' ongoing quarterback competition between incumbent Jarrett Stidham, rookie first-rounder Bo Nix, and Zach Wilson. In Breer's estimation, Broncos head coach Sean Payton won't make a decision on the starter until "at least one, maybe two preseason games."

"The quarterback competition could last a while longer—I would guess at this point that Sean Payton will want to see the guys play in at least one, and maybe two preseason games before making a final call. That said, Payton did narrow things a bit over the last day or two, with the lion’s share of the first-team reps in at Wednesday’s practice going to Jarrett Stidham, the incumbent in this race, and first-rounder Bo Nix. It’s been communicated to Zach Wilson that he’s not out of it yet, and the team does have over a week left before going to Indy for the preseason opener. Nix, for his part, has picked up the offense fast. His football aptitude, work ethic and leadership, as a guy who started 60 college games, has been apparent to his coaches and the team’s veterans alike," Breer wrote on Thursday.

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Indeed, Wilson has slowly relinquished ground in this competition. At this point, it's a two-man race.

Stidham certainly looks the part of the incumbent. His comfortability and command of the offense is clear, but he's been very careful with the ball, and, at times, seemingly reluctant to push the ball downfield even when opportunity knocks. And throwing at Patrick Surtain II? Out of the question for Stidham.

Nix, on the other hand, has done well to balance both aspects — being smart with the ball protection-wise and being unafraid to uncork one vertically or over the middle if that's what the read dictates. Nix will throw at Surtain, if his coverage assignment is the open guy (see: Reynolds: Josh).

It's as if Stidham is doing his level best not to lose the job, while Nix is giving it his all to win it. There's a big chasm separating those two polar mindsets.

It'll be interesting to see when Payton ultimately makes the call. I've always expected that the Broncos wouldn't announce a decision until at least the first preseason game was in the books. It'll likely happen after the second preseason game.

Amid Nix's rise, and Wilson's fall, one thing has remain unchanged. The closer Nix is to Stidham, the worse it'll go for the incumbent. And Nix has been nipping at Stidham's heels for days now, and in some cases, has out-played him in practice.

After Wednesday's practice, where Nix saw first-team action, Payton said, "I like his progress." Will it be enough to surpass Stidham in terms of comfortability with the coaching staff? Maybe not today. But by August 11? Perhaps.

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