The Denver Broncos have many quarterbacks on their roster. Unfortunately, not many of them are seen as having huge upsides. Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson, and rookie Bo Nix are competing for the starting job after Russell Wilson was released. The first training camp depth chart gave us a glimpse of who is the favorite but Sean Payton hasn’t made any decisions yet. He revealed his plans for the quarterback position in the preseason on Friday.

Denver Broncos Sean Payton On QB Battle

The Denver Broncos are preparing for their preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. According to head coach Sean Payton, the veteran Jarrett Stidham will get the start. Rookie Bo Nix may see some “Phase 1” work in that game, but he will get his chance to start next week. The former Saints head coach confirmed the 12th overall pick would start in week 2 against the Packers.

Payton indicated that Zach Wilson would get his shot in the third week, but his chances do not look good. It seems to be a two-horse race between Stidham and Nix. The team took a flyer on the former second-overall pick after the New York Jets decided to move on. It would not be too much cost to move on or even keep him on as the third-stringer.

What Should They Do?

History tells us that Bo Nix will start at some point this season. The Denver Broncos are not slated to win many games this year. 2024 is all about development. Clearly, the franchise likes Nix. They spent their first-round pick on him. In most cases, even if the first-round quarterback doesn’t start to begin the season, the player takes over at some point during the season.

The only way that doesn’t happen is if Jarrett Stidham lights it up and starts winning games. This doesn’t seem likely, as the roster is full of young, unproven rookies and overpaid mediocre veterans. The preseason will give us a first look at how ready Bo Nix actually is. If he can show Sean Payton that he is ready to take the reins right away, he could easily become the week 1 starter.