Sean Payton Previews Broncos QB Battle Between Zach Wilson, Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham

DENVER – Broncos head coach Sean Payton gave commendations to Zach Wilson, Bo Nix, and Jarrett Stidham at Denver’s OTAs as the three quarterbacks compete for the starting spot.

Payton and the coaching staff will have an important decision to make between the returning Bronco, the rookie, and the new addition from New York.

Stacking days at #BroncosOTAs. 😤 pic.twitter.com/t7H42beiSr

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 30, 2024

As of right now, it’s a tight race and Payton has made sure that each guy gets equal opportunity.

“We go by what we see,” Payton said. “We try to get them as many reps as possible. We rotate. We’re rotating all of them right now. They’re all in a race to learn this system. Man, they’re doing well.”

After drafting a QB in the first round, most Bronco fans want to see what Nix can do sooner rather than later.

It’s always a balance between letting young guys develop and putting your best foot forward. But, Payton has been impressed by the rookie’s performance in practice.

“(Bo Nix) is farther along than most would be,” Payton said. “We’re talking about a player who’s played 61 games (in college). He’s extremely smart. He’s picked it up very quickly.”

Another week of work in the 📚#BroncosOTAs pic.twitter.com/UmtrLTabQl

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 30, 2024

With the in-house experience of Stidham and the upside of Nix, some may have expected Wilson to fall by the wayside.

Payton said that it has been the opposite. Wilson has picked up his offseason play and it’s truly a three-man race for the week one starting spot.

“Zach (Wilson) has done a good job,” Payton said. “He’s picked things up. We’re encouraged with the (quarterback) room.”

The Denver Broncos open their 2024 season in Seattle against the Seahawks on Sunday, September 8.

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About Zach Wilson

Before his time in the NFL, the Corner Canyon High School product had a standout career at BYU. Wilson helped the Cougars to an 11-1 record during his final season in Provo.

Following his college career, the Jets selected Wilson with the No. 2 overall pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.

The Corner Canyon product entered his rookie season as the Jets’ starting quarterback. Wilson experienced multiple knee injuries that caused him to miss games during his first two seasons.

 

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Midway through his sophomore NFL season, the Jets benched Wilson. After returning to the lineup later in the year, Wilson was benched again.

He entered the 2023 season as Aaron Rodger’s backup. However, Rodgers went down with a season-ending injury a few plays into New York’s first game. Wilson was thrust back into the starting lineup for a team that showed the same flaws from past seasons.

Late in 2023, Wilson was benched for the third time in his career. He returned to the field a couple of weeks later after the Jets found no success with their other quarterbacks. Wilson suffered a concussion the following week and didn’t play for the remainder of the regular season. The former BYU star missed New York’s final three games and the Jets finished with a 7-10 record, missing the playoffs for a 13th straight year.

.@ZachWilson throws his third touchdown pass of the season. #LocalsInTheNFL #NFL #SNF #TakeFlight #KCvsNYJ #BYUFOOTBALL @kslsports pic.twitter.com/LOX7n3J7bT

— Kyle Ireland (@kyleireland) October 2, 2023

In his third season, Wilson threw for 2,271 yards, eight touchdowns, and seven interceptions with a completion percentage of 60.1. He also ran for 211 yards.

During his three years in the league, the former BYU star has thrown for 6,293 yards, 23 touchdowns, and 25 interceptions with a 57.0 percent completion rate. He’s added 498 yards and five touchdowns with his legs.

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Chandler Holt is a co-host of the Jazz Notes podcast, a Locals In The NFL Insider, and Digital Sports Producer for KSLSports.com. Follow Chandler on Twitter @ChandlerHoltKSL or on Threads @chandlerho1t.

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