Broncos Open QB Competition After Wilson Trade, Nix Pick

And may the best man win.

Jan 1, 2024; Glendale, AZ, USA; Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix (10) throws during warm ups before / Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton hinted at an open competition for the team's starting quarterback job following Monday's trade acquisition of Zach Wilson and Thursday's first-round draft selection of Bo Nix.

The newcomers join sixth-year incumbent Jarrett Stidham and 2023 practice-squadder Ben DiNucci.

And may the best man win.

“These guys are all going to compete," Payton said after Day 1 of the 2024 NFL draft. "We were really happy to bring Zach on board. There was no specific timing, that just took a little bit of time. In other words, George and Joe with the Jets have been working on that. So it wasn’t a smoke screen. I know when we signed him it was closer to the draft. It very well could have been three weeks ago. We know we wanted to add into the room, and I think I said that much even at the owner’s meetings. We really liked that opportunity. There were a number of veteran backups that signed contracts, and yet we saw talent with a player that just three years ago was the No. 2 pick in the draft. We really like his traits. Of course we have Jarrett Stidham here and Ben. So [Pro Football Hall of Fame Head Coach] Bill [Parcells] taught me a long time ago [to] just let them play. We have to maximize the reps that we have, and let them develop, and that stuff will sort itself out.”

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A 33-game starter who flamed out with the Jets, Wilson — the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft — was acquired in a pick-swap agreement, with Denver sending a sixth-round choice to New York for Wilson and a seventh-rounder. The Broncos also agreed to pay $2.75 million of his salary as part of the deal.

Nix, 24, is the most experienced signal-caller of the incoming rookie class, a five-year starter at Auburn and Oregon who completed 66.4% of his career pass attempts for more than 15,000 yards, 113 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions, adding 38 scores via the ground.

How the two fare during minicamp, training camp, and the preseason will ultimately decide who gets the nod on Opening Day this fall. But that's an eternity away in football time.

Right now, both begin their Broncos journey at the bottom of Payton's offensive pyramid, the evaluation still in its infant stages.

“I think it’s the same stuff that we want Zach to focus on. He just got in last week. It’s new. Get acclimated with your teammates," Payton said of Nix's immediate focus. "The offseason program, fortunately we’re two weeks in, our rookie camp will be a couple weeks away. It’s that onboarding. It’s a number of things—getting to know your teammates, getting to know the offense and the coaching staff and the system. There’s a process to it. It began tonight for him. I think he’ll be here tomorrow and then a couple weeks from now for the offseason program. It starts [now].”

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