Sean Payton Comments on Broncos QB Bo Nix's Practice vs. Packers

Bo Nix had himself a day vs. the Green Bay Packers during the Denver Broncos joint practice sessions.

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

The Denver Broncos are giving rookie quarterback Bo Nix the opportunity to completely seize control of the position battle he's been locked in all summer and win the job this week. Nix was the No. 2 quarterback to take the field in the Broncos' preseason opener last week, and he turned in an impressive, if imperfect, debut.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton announced before last week's tilt in Indianapolis that Nix would get the start in preseason Game 2 vs. the Green Bay Packers. Since the NFL moved to a three-game preseason slate, Game 2 has become the 'dress rehearsal' for many teams, fielding the units that are expected to start when the regular season rolls around.

In other words, the Broncos are practically saying, "Here kid. We've put the starting job on a plate for you. All you've gotta do is dig in."

Nix's starting debut will come before the Mile High Faithful at Empower Field at Mile High, and his exposure to the Packers' first-team defense on Friday during the teams' joint practice sessions will only further hone the young quarterback, and, hopefully, get him even more acclimated to the speed of the game.

Following Friday's practice, Payton shared his thoughts on how Nix performed as the first-team quarterback vs. the Packers.

“Good. Like I said, there’s going to be a lot of video to watch," Payton said. "There’s third down and there’s red zone... I was pleased that the practice ran smoothly. I thought both teams did a good job of working with each other. We said at the beginning, ‘Let’s make sure we finish this thing getting better.’ We’re healthy, the quarterbacks—let’s work together on this."

2 TD in 3 plays for Bo! #BroncosCamp pic.twitter.com/lGr0ZllFtW

— Anthony Nguyen (@MileHighRonin) August 16, 2024

What happens next on the Broncos beat? Don't miss out on any news and analysis! Take a second, sign up for our free newsletter, and get breaking Broncos news delivered to your inbox daily!

For his part, Nix felt like things ran smoothly on Friday vs. the Packers. It's a rare privilege to practice against an outside opponent like this, and the rookie is doing his best to capitalize on the opportunity.

“It was good. It was definitely different playing against a different team in practice," Nix said following practice. "I liked it. I thought everything ran very smoothly with guys getting in and out of the huddle. [We] were playing good and sharp football on both sides. I thought it was very clean and was a good day of practice.”

Nix drew rave reviews for his performance in Friday's practice. There's a sense of momentum building for the first-rounder out of Oregon.

But Jarrett Stidham won't go quietly into that good night. And Zach Wilson has found a new wind over the past two weeks.

Nix is learning that he's not on scholarship anymore. Those days are in the past. He has to earn it, defend it, and protect it every single day because there'll always be someone gunning for his job.

Right now, that sharpshooter is Stidham. But with each passing day, Nix is putting more and more distance between him and Stidham. Sometimes, the target is just too far out of reach, even for the best marksmen, and perhaps that's something Stidham is coming to grips with.

Nix hasn't won the job yet. But the Broncos have given him every opportunity to do so, and thus far, he's yet to squander it. So, if the best predictor of the future is the past, well then...

The Broncos kick off vs. the Packers on Sunday at 6 pm MDT.

---

Follow Mile High Huddle on X and Facebook and subscribe on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!