The Denver Broncos were in search of a quarterback to succeed Peyton Manning for almost a decade. Time and time again, the orange and blue tried to switch things up under center, as 12 different quarterbacks started a game for Denver from 2016-2023 (13 if you count Phillip Lindsay starting against the New Orleans Saints in the most confusing football game of all time).
In the 2024 NFL Draft, the Broncos finally struck gold on the quarterback position when they selected Bo Nix out of Oregon with the No. 12 overall pick. Nix put together a solid rookie campaign as he helped lead the Broncos to the franchise’s first playoff berth since the Sheriff was in town nine years prior with 3,775 yards and 29 touchdowns.
The rookie garnered some positive attention, but also had a fair share of critics saying that Sean Payton’s scheme made him look good and he only threw check downs. Heading into year two, the narrative has started to shift, as more people have begun to recognize his talent.
After Nix dazzled in Denver’s joint practice with the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday, his opponents had plenty of praise for him as they emphasized that he has grown even more as a signal caller this offseason. First up was Calais Campbell, a defensive lineman who is entering his 18th year in the league. The six-time Pro Bowler and three-time All-Pro has seen hundreds of quarterbacks throughout his impressively long career, and said that Nix does everything he looks out for.
“He has what it takes,” Campbell said Thursday. “He was poised, made quick decisions, he didn’t hold on to the ball long at all. I feel like he understood every situation, had a pretty good hard count. All the stuff I look for, he’s pretty good at, that’s for sure.”
Next up was Mack Wilson, a linebacker entering his seventh year in the league.
“Bo, you can tell he made the year two leap. Just comparing what I saw last year with him as a rookie, he was out there making no-look throws and stuff. I’m just happy for him, honestly. A guy who’s from Alabama, I’m from Alabama as well, so I’m extremely proud to see what he’ll do the rest of his career,” Wilson said.
These aren’t nobodies who have only been in the league for a couple of years. These are seasoned veterans who have played at the highest level for years and have seen plenty of different quarterbacks in their time.
Broncos fans likely won’t get to see Nix in the team’s lone preseason game in the Mile High City after Sean Payton said that he’s planning to rest the majority of his starters. He struggled in the first preseason game against San Francisco, so he will have one more chance in Week 3 against New Orleans to tune himself up before the real football kicks off against Tennessee on Sept. 7.