Broncos QB Zach Wilson 'Probably Was Better' than Jarrett Stidham per NFL.com

Has Zach Wilson been better than Jarrett Stidham?

Denver Broncos quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham (8) and Zach Wilson (4) during preseason action. / Mark Lebryk/Ron Cheny/USA TODAY Sports

The Denver Broncos quarterback competition is over. First-round rookie Bo Nix — the12th overall selection in the 2024 NFL draft — will take the field with the ones in the Broncos' regular-season opener.

Nix was always the favorite to start, given the premium expense the Broncos used to acquire the quarterback in the draft. Furthermore, being head coach Sean Payton’s only first-round quarterback in his tenure as a head coach, Nix was going to have to outright lose the job on the field to not win the starting gig.

Nix not only did not “lose” the starting spot but went out there and won the gig. From his play on the field, maturity in his preparation, and the way his teammates reportedly are responding to him, the Broncos may have found themselves a QB1 for the foreseeable future.

While the battle for the starting quarterback spot in Denver is over, ending Nix’s preseason campaign as he and the rest of the ones aren't expected to take the field in the team's preseason finale, the battle for No. 2 quarterback is still very much alive and well.

Not only is the pecking order between Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson yet to be decided, but whether both make the roster is up in the air as the team cuts down to its final 53 players by Tuesday, August 27. With the stakes established thusly, NFL.com’s Eric Edholm is also keying in on the Broncos' backup quarterback battle as the matchup to watch in Denver's preseason finale.

"With rookie Bo Nix being named the Broncos' Week 1 starter, the question now pivots to how many quarterbacks Sean Payton will opt to roster. Is there room for both Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson? Earlier this summer, Payton said all three could 'possibly' stay on. Both reportedly had encouraging summers during practice, and though neither one looked great against the Packers, Wilson probably was the better of the two this preseason -- even with the regrettable safety vs. Green Bay. Perhaps he can light it up one more time this preseason and harden his chances of making the squad -- or, perhaps, compel a QB-needy team to make an inquiry," Edholm wrote.

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There are many trains of thought when it comes to the backup quarterback. Does a team want a steady veteran in the room who knows the offense and can provide an extra set of eyes in meeting rooms and on the sideline?

A quarterback with a high floor that can help an offense function over a short duration if a starter were to miss a chunk of games? Given how small the margins are in the NFL, a backup quarterback being thrust into the starting lineup for four games and going 2-2 rather than 0-4 can make or break the entirety of a season.

On the other hand, there is something to be said about youth and upside, especially given that Denver employs one of the best offensive minds in football in Sean Payton, as well as upstart QBs coach Davis Webb, perhaps a calculated risk in opting with the former top draft pick (Wilson) could have far greater reward for the organization as opposed to the perceived lower-ceiling/higher-floor veteran and incumbent (Stidham) on the roster.

If opportunities are to be judged, it would be fair to say that Wilson is squarely behind Stidham for the backup quarterback spot. With Stidham getting the start in preseason Game 1 and second on the field in Game 2, and Wilson last in both matchups, he appears to be the favored option by the staff.

On the field, Stidham went 11-of-18 and 102 yards with two interceptions (one very much the fault of running back Samaje Perine and the other a deflected ball straight in the air) and a rushing touchdown, while Wilson went 12-of-19 with one touchdown and no interceptions.

Stidham’s start in Game 1 was marred with mistakes around him while Wilson moved the ball with relative ease. While neither quarterback looked great in Game 2, Wilson showed some processing delay in getting through his reads and hanging too long in the pocket, which plagued his first three years in the NFL. Neither quarterback was an abject disaster, but neither separated themself from the other the way Nix did from Stidham and Wilson.

Given that the battle appears to be close, if Denver is forced to move on from one of the quarterbacks due to roster math reasons, then the option will likely be releasing Stidham. Denver would save $5 million against the cap with just $2 million dead cap by releasing Stidham.

Wilson would save the Broncos just over $2.7 million in cap savings with no dead cap. Would the difference in $3.2 million in savings make or break the bank for Denver? Probably not, but since Denver is facing $67.8 million in dead cap this season, every dollar may count in the final calculus.

In the end, the Broncos may have to find a way to keep both Stidham and Wilson. Stidham appears to be an extension of the coaching staff and well-liked by those on the team, and Wilson’s arm talent and salvage project might be too tantalizing for Denver. Regardless, both will get another shot to prove they deserve the backup quarterback role and a roster spot in Sunday's preseason finale vs. the Arizona Cardinals.

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