Head coach Sean Payton says ‘all these quarterbacks are going to compete’ for the starting job

Look for an open competition between all the quarterbacks this offseason and training camp.

Heading into this week, the Denver Broncos just had Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci as the only quarterbacks on their roster. They tried to sign veteran quarterback Sam Darnold, but he was out of their price range. They tried to trade for Sam Howell, but he was also out of their price range, so they stood pat for a while until this past week. First, they swapped late-round picks with the New York Jets to acquire former second-overall pick Zach Wilson and then selected Bo Nix with their 12th overall selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft.

So, their quarterback room quickly went from two guys to four with a former second-overall pick and rookie first-round pick joining that room. Now the question is, which one of these quarterbacks will start? Head coach Sean Payton told reporters late last night that “all these quarterbacks are going to compete”.

Get ready for a quarterback competition this offseason between Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson, and rookie quarterback Bo Nix. No disrespect to Ben DiNucci, but I do not think he will factor into this and may not even be on the roster long after the draft.

I would expect Stidham to get the first crack at the job since he has been here the longest and should know the system the best, but he will have a short leash. Obviously, Bo Nix will get every opportunity to prove himself during the offseason, especially with the way Sean Payton talked about him, while Zach Wilson will look to reinvent himself this offseason in Denver.

So, let us take a look at these three quarterbacks and their chances of winning the starting quarterback job this offseason.

Jarrett Stidham

He signed a two-year deal with the Broncos last year and was Payton’s hand-picked quarterback. He finished the season as the starter and was just alright in the two games he played but now faces competition for the starting job and potentially his spot on the roster.

The Broncos tried adding a veteran like Sam Darnold during free agency and tried trading for Sam Howell. Neither happened after the cost to sign and trade for them was too high, but the team would eventually land former second-overall pick Zach Wilson and then select Bo Nix at 12th overall. These additions not only put his chances of starting in real danger but in my opinion, will firmly put him on the hot seat for a spot on the 53-man roster.

Nix’s roster spot is safe obviously and unless the Broncos keep three quarterbacks on the roster, Wilson and Stidham could be competing for one roster spot. Stidham, a career backup at this point is who he is and is likely at most a middle-of-the-road backup quarterback. As for Wilson, he is just three years removed from being the second overall pick, is only 24 years old, and has a chance to improve while learning under Sean Payton. So, Stidham needs to prove himself this offseason because he could be fighting for a roster spot.

If Jarrett Stidham wins the quarterback competition this offseason, the Broncos are in real trouble. I will leave it at that.

Zach Wilson

The former second-overall pick was a major bust with the Jets and is now looking for a fresh start with Sean Payton and the Denver Broncos.

The expectations and risk for Wilson are low while the upside is pretty high. He entered the league as an exciting prospect with “Mahomes-like” arm talent. Obviously, he never lived up to those expectations, but he is still young and Sean Payton could unlock that potential others saw when he was drafted and help turn him into a solid NFL quarterback.

As I said with Stidham, he is likely competing for one spot on the roster either as the starter or backup. It’s possible but unlikely that the Broncos will keep three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster.

I like his chances better than Stidham to stick around. I will admit, I was a big Zach Wilson fan when he came out of the draft and I am excited to see what he can do with Sean Payton who has rehabbed many careers during his time in the league. Wilson really struggled with the Jets, but if he shows major improvement with Payton, there is a scenario where he can earn the starting job. With that said, that is an overly optimistic take. Wilson is a low-risk lottery ticket and anything you get from him will be a plus.

Bo Nix

Obviously, if the team selects you with the 12th overall pick in the first round of the draft and the head coach talks glowingly about you in multiple interviews, you have a good shot to start. Nix is an experienced rookie who enters the league further along than most and can be a day one starter if all goes well.

We will need to see how he picks up the offense and performs during training and the preseason before we can comfortably name him the starter, but you have to like his chances.

I like his chances the best to start this upcoming season. He needs to prove himself but it seems like he will, he is intelligent, the coach and team like him, and hopeful he can be a productive rookie for the Broncos.