With the Denver Broncos moving on from Russell Wilson, quarterback Bo Nix was the team's first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft. But just because the Broncos have a shiny new rookie doesn't mean he will be automatically guaranteed the starting spot.
Especially if Jarrett Stidham has anything to say about it. Entering his second season in Denver, Stidham is looking to hold onto the starting role that he gained at the start of the 2023 season. Even if that means beating out Nix in training camp, via team reporter Aric DiLalla.
“I've dealt with this before when I was in New England with Mac Jones,” Stidham said. “It's a business and I totally understand it, but at the same time, I'm here to compete. I'm not going to just sit down and let someone else walk in here and just [take the role]. I'm going to work my butt off to get the job. I'm super excited about it.”
Stidham went 1-1 in his two game stretch as a starter. He threw for 496 yards, two touchdowns in an interceptions. The quarterback was sacked seven times in his second start, perhaps deflecting some of the blame from the 27-14 season-ending loss to the Las Vegas Raiders.
But Stidham is now entering the 2024 rejuvenated and ready to prove himself. In year two of Sean Payton's tenure, the head coach now has experience working with Stidham. The QB is hopeful his incumbent status will give him a leg up in the QB1.
But he'll be facing stiff competition.
Jarrett Stidham entering fierce Broncos QB battle
Many called the Broncos' No. 12 overall selection of Bo Nix a major reach. However, JJ McCarthy – the fourth QB selected – came off the board just two picks earlier. With their need of a quarterback in mind, Denver invested their future in Nix.
Ever since selecting him, Payton has done nothing but hype up Nix. He said he liked him as much as he did Patrick Mahomes when the Kansas City Chiefs star was entering the NFL. Still, Payton isn't going to just hand him the QB1 role. At the start of voluntary OTAs, Nix, Stidham and Zach Wilson were all splitting reps, via Jeff Legwold of ESPN.
“We try to split up all the reps,” Payton said. “There's going to be a time when you read into reps. I don't think it's early in OTAs. It's kind of the orphan group, they're all orphan dogs. They've come from somewhere, but they're doing good. It's a good room.”
Still, Nix will have plenty of time to steal the QB1 role come training camp. The Broncos were surely impressed with his work at the college level, as he threw for 15,352 yards 113 yards and 26 touchdowns. In his fifth overall season and second with Oregon, Nix won the Pac-12 Player of the Year after throwing for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions.
By taking him at No. 12, Denver is serious about Bo Nix being the team's quarterback of the future. But in the short-term, Jarrett Stidham is hoping his veteran superiority wins out. Going just 1-3 as a starter, Stidham has thrown for 1,422 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions over his four-year NFL career.
The only thing certain in Denver as that a different QB will be under center come Week 1. While many are expecting that to be Nix, Stidham still wants to prove he deserves an opportunity.
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