Broncos Veteran OL Shares True Thoughts on the Three-Way QB Battle

This was as good of a progress report that Denver Broncos fans will get on the quarterback competition.

May 23, 2024; Englewood, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) and quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) during organized team activities at Centura Health Training Center. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Most of the attention during Denver Broncos training camp will, understandably, be on the three-way quarterback battle. When push comes to shove, the quarterback who emerges victorious will have to show some serious chops, but exactly how the Broncos shape up around the trio of signal-callers will be important.

There's also a crucial three-way battle coming at the center spot, and that organic dynamic will have a direct effect on the quarterback situation. A center tends to bond with his quarterback in unique ways — telepathic connections that often leave even the most seasoned coaches more than a little puzzled.

Thus, it's no great stretch to suggest that perhaps the second-year Alex Forsyth, the center who spent time snapping to Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix while the pair was together at Oregon, is perhaps the early leader in the clubhouse to win the job. Forsyth will square off with the third-year Luke Wattenberg and veteran newcomer Sam Mustipher.

Whatever way the chips ultimately fall, veteran right guard Quinn Meinerz is confident that things will fall into place at center — and iron will indeed sharpen iron.

"We have three great centers," Meinrez said of Forsyth, Wattenberg, and Mustipher during OTAs. "We've been kind of interchanging all three of them. It's going to be really exciting to see during training camp who is going to take that job. I've enjoyed playing with all three of them so far in OTAs."

Things will inevitably circle back to that marquee battle under the center to determine which player is given the controls at quarterback. As Nix crosses swords with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson, even Meinrez can't help but indulge in that conversation a little further when asked.

"I would say it's a similar thing with the centers, where you have three guys who are competing and doing great every single day," Meinerz said of the Broncos' quarterback battle. "It's really fun to be part of that where you have three great quarterbacks and three great centers. They're all competing for their job. Come training camp, it will be really interesting to see what happens. I think they are all playing great and doing great things."

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Fundamental to the entire process, especially that of the quarterbacks' outlook, is the Broncos returning four out of five O-line starters along in 2024. Meinerz believes the four returning veterans can iron out any complications at center simply by knowing what their assignments are.

"Our practices, you can feel it and you can see it out there of everyone really getting off on the ball and getting off on the snap and moving around," Meinerz said of the effort at pracitce. "This is not necessarily about the physical nature of the game; it's more about knowing your assignment—the first two steps, initial contact and then kind of shutting it down. As a team, I think we are in a really good spot."

Meinerz clearly feels his veteran unit can adjust by itself, but in truth, just how the eventual starting quarterback bonds with them might be a tad more complicated. If Nix's familiarity with Forsyth gives him an advantage, then Stidham — Denver's only incumbent quarterback — should feel the most comfortable with the O-line as a unit, considering he started two games behind them last year.

Since Broncos head coach Sean Payton showed Russell Wilson the door, the changes to the lineup have been embraced by the returning veterans. Call it a meritocracy if you wish, but the fact that new faces will be competing for starting jobs is exciting and intriguing for Meinerz in equal measure.

Broncos training camp kicks off on July 26. The rookies will report on July 17, while the veterans check in on July 23.

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