Broncos 2024 positional review: Quarterbacks

The Broncos did a lot of work at the quarterback position this offseason. First, they released veteran quarterback Russell Wilson and ate a historic dead cap hit. After that, they flirted with the free agent market in search of a quarterback and had some trade discussions before eventually trading for former second-overall pick Zach Wilson days before the start of the 2024 NFL Draft. Their big addition to the quarterback room this offseason was selecting quarterback Bo Nix with their 12th overall pick in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

These two additions will join veteran quarterback Jarrett Stidham who the team signed last offseason and started the final two games of the season in the Broncos quarterback room. All three will get a chance to impress during camp and the preseason and hopefully, one stands above the rest and wins the Broncos starting quarterback job.

So, let us take a look at the Broncos quarterbacks and their chances of winning the starting quarterback job during training camp and the preseason.

Quarterbacks

Jarrett Stidham

The former fourth-round pick of the New England Patriots who also spent time for the Raiders signed with the Broncos last offseason. He served as the backup behind starter Russell Wilson and started the final two games of the season after Wilson was benched. He played okay in these two starts but not well enough for the team to feel comfortable moving forward with him as the starter.

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Now, he enters camp and likely as the QB1 based on his knowledge of the offense and being a veteran. With that said Nix and Wilson will see plenty of time with the 1’s as well while the Broncos figure go through this competition. Stidham will start camp as the “starter” but will he leave it as the starter?

Stidham gives the Broncos insurance if Nix and Wilson do not impress. He knows the offense and was able to operate it last season, but at best, he is a below-average starter. If he leaves camp as the starter, the Broncos could be in trouble this upcoming season.

Bo Nix

The Broncos need Bo Nix to be the guy at quarterback. He was handpicked by head coach Sean Payton, compared to Drew Brees, and is viewed as the potential savior at quarterback for the Broncos. For him to be that guy, he will need to win the Broncos starting quarterback job pretty quickly in camp.

His competition is a journeyman veteran and a number two overall bust looking to save his career. If he cannot beat out these two quarterbacks, that will be a bit of a red flag for Broncos Country. Ideally, he is the guy, but he needs to earn it.

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So far, he has performed well during OTA’s and minicamp from reports but now he will need to have a strong camp and preseason. I am anxious to see how he does and give us a drama-free few weeks filled with excitement instead of concern.

I will lean toward him being the favorite for the job considering the investment, Payton’s praise and his talent, but we shall see.

Zach Wilson

The former number two overall pick was a bust for the New York Jets but now, he is looking to turn his career around in Denver. He will be competing with Stidham and Nix for the starting job and is a bit of an x-factor when it comes to the quarterback competition.

His arm talent is there and is what made him the number two overall pick but his accuracy, decision-making and just overall poor play have derailed his career. Being paired with Sean Payton could be the thing that turns things around for him but he needs to show improvement quickly if he wants to make the team.

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Wilson and Stidham are likely competing for one roster spot and right now, Stidham appears to be the favorite for that spot. He was more consistent during the spring while Wilson was erratic, inconsistent, and looked like the third-best quarterback of the group (according to reports).

The outcomes for Wilson are all over the place. While it seems unlikely, but he could win the starting job, he could earn the backup job, or he could be off the team completely. He is one of the more interesting players to watch this summer.

Final Thoughts

The quarterback position will be the talk of training camp and the preseason. Will it be the veteran journeyman Jarrett Stidham, the former number two overall pick Zach Wilson, or the rookie first round pick Bo Nix?

If Nix lives up to his expectations, he should be the guy, but nothing is ever certain in the NFL. He is the favorite for the job but he first needs to prove he can be the guy and outperform his competitors. If not, the veteran Stidham for Wilson will be looking to pounce.

One of the more overlooked storylines from this group will be, which quarterback does not make the team? Seems unlikely they would keep all three on the 53-man roster, so one will have to go. It will either be Stidham or Wilson. Right now, I am leaning Stidham since he was the better quarterback this spring, knows the offense, and is likely the better option to be a short-term starter or backup. However, Wilson is an x-factor and if that lightbulb goes off now that he is with Payton, he could be the story of camp...or headlining the Broncos cuts.

Right now, I would lean toward Nix as the week one starter with Stidham as the backup and Wilson not making the team. A lot can and will change in the coming months so it should be exciting to see how it all plays out.