Broncos head coach Sean Payton started off training camp giving all three of his potential starting quarterbacks equal reps.
That process will change shortly, but whichever way the competition trends in the next several weeks, first-round rookie Bo Nix is aiming to stay both flexible and prepared.
“Well, I don’t know if I have a choice on that one, if I want to stick around I better accept it,” Nix said Saturday when asked if he was prepared to accept the backup job if necessary, per ESPN. “But I also don’t necessarily want to become complacent and say ‘you know what, it’s my rookie year, I’m OK with sitting back and learning.’ … They’ll play me when I’m ready, so I’m going to do my best to get ready.”
The last of six quarterbacks taken in the first dozen picks of the 2024 draft, Nix is presumed to be the future of the Broncos organization, but he remains in a wait-and-see situation compared to some of his peers.
Unlike Caleb Williams, who has been the Bears’ starter since May, and Washington’s Jayden Daniels, who has not yet been named QB1 but seems destined to have the red carpet rolled out for his premiere Week 1, Nix is vying for the top job with Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson.
Stidham is the only of the three who played for head coach Sean Payton last season, when he started Denver’s final two games and went 1-1 with 496 yards, two touchdowns and one interception.
Wilson comes by way of a trade via the New York Jets after struggling through three seasons there. He’s thrown for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns and 25 interceptions through 34 career games.
While Nix has the highest ceiling of them all and played 61 collegiate games with a stupendous 113 touchdowns to 26 interceptions, he’s still a rookie going up against a pair with experience.
“You owe it to respect the other guys in the competition too, they also want to be the starter too and they also are going to have to accept [Payton’s decision],” Nix said. “Whatever they decide that’s what we’re going with.”
Even if Nix does not end up earning the starting job to begin the season, it’s highly possible he’ll see his number called at some point in 2024 — barring Stidham or Wilson catching fire and putting Denver on a postseason course for the first time since 2015.
Whenever he ultimately receives his chance, he’s doing all he can to be prepared for it.
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