Zach

Wilson

Wilson will be the emergency third quarterback against the Seahawks on Sunday behind Bo Nix and Jarrett Stidham. Franklin was a fourth-round pick who struggled early in camp, and will need to pick things up in practice to not earn the inactive designation going forward.

Bo Nix is the obvious lock to make the roster here, while Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham were left to battle it out for the QB2 role. Wilson played on all but one drive for the Broncos on Sunday, throwing for 251 yards and two scores while rushing for another. Wilson played well enough this preseason to justify being kept on the roster if the Broncos wanted to keep three quarterbacks. Assuming Payton isn’t sending smoke signals on this one, it sounds like they are more than ready to carry three signal-callers entering Week 1, with Nix already named the starter.

Jarrett Stidham made the start in this one but was pulled after one drive, leaving Wilson to manage things the rest of the way. It’s possible this was a bit of a showcase game for Wilson, who could be on the cutting block if the Broncos opt to keep just two quarterbacks on the roster. The former No. 2 overall pick was solid in his final preseason outing. He didn’t turn the ball over and threw for two scores while rushing for another. Wilson’s longest pass of the night came on a 46-yard pass to Brandon Johnson, who he found deep downfield for the score. Wilson’s preseason ends with 397 passing yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. If the Broncos opt to move on from him, he’s almost certain to have suitors, but he may be more of a practice squad candidate than a QB2 option for the time being.

The news doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The No. 12 overall pick was the favorite to win the job heading into training camp. Though he had his fair share of rocky outings on the practice field, Nix slammed the door shut on Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson by going 23-of-30 with 205 yards and two touchdowns in his two preseason appearances. Nix looked comfortable under pressure, wasn’t sacked once, and didn’t throw an interception. Nix profiles as a great fit for Payton’s system and could surprise fantasy managers as a streaming QB2. He makes for a great upside bet in Superflex leagues.

Journeyman QB Jarrett Stidham will start this Sunday against the Colts, with Nix operating as his primary backup. Payton is dividing the offense repetitions into three phases, stating “The first phase will be somewhere between 15 and 20 (plays). Nix might get the final series in phase one. We just got to see where we’re at rep wise.” Zach Wilson now appears firmly entrenched as the No. 3 quarterback, effectively removing even nominal consideration for the starting role.

Rookie Bo Nix is listed as third on the depth chart, which presumably leaves Zach Wilson as the QB2 for Sunday’s contest. Stidham is a six-year vet and a knower of Sean Payton’s offensive system after spending last year with the team. It’s not surprising to see him draw the nod in the team’s first preseason contest, as it’s possible the team will look to ease Nix into his first game of live NFL action. We wouldn’t expect the Broncos’ depth chart to look this way for long, but it’s possible Nix will open the year as a backup rather than as the team’s QB1.

“There’s going to be a time when you read into the reps, I don’t think it’s early in OTAs,” Payton said. “It’s kind of the orphan group, they’re all orphan dogs. They’ve come from somewhere, but they’re doing good. It’s a good room.’' Nix, according to Denver beat writers, has not been sharp so far in OTA sessions, with Stidham standing out among the QB trio. As the team’s first round draft pick and a good fit for the Payton offense, Nix is still the odds-on favorite to start Week 1 barring some kind of training camp meltdown. Stidham, a favorite of Payton’s, could start a few early-season games before ceding the job to Nix. The Broncos will certainly do whatever it takes to keep Wilson off the field this season.

Payton attributes Nix’s NFL readiness to the 61 games he played in college while also adding that Nix is “extremely smart” and “picked [the offense] up very quickly.” Selected by the Broncos with the No. 12 pick in this year’s draft, Nix has a chance to open the season as the Week 1 starter if he can simply beat out Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the job — a task that appears relatively easy on the surface. Payton’s early praise of his young signal-caller can only bode well for him when it comes to deciding who opens as the Week 1 starter in four months.

The option would’ve paid Wilson $22.4 million, but that’s much too rich for a quarterback who’s thrown only 23 touchdowns (and 25 interceptions) in 34 games with the Jets. While Wilson will get a chance to compete, the future of the team for now is Bo Nix who the Broncos selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Wilson could benefit career-wise from a fresh start and new scene in Denver.

The real story here may be the phenomenally down-bad quarterback room that is being constructed in Denver. Wilson joins the likes of Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci in the Mile High City, forming a trio that’s sure to instill confidence in any defense they face in a given week. Of course, the Broncos are still expected to add a quarterback of note at some point in this week’s NFL Draft, but the optics are hilarious for the time being. Wilson, who was drafted by the Jets with the No. 2 overall pick in 2021, was given ample opportunities to succeed over the last three years but consistently fell well short of the mark for being even a passable NFL quarterback. For better or worse, head coach Robert Saleh stuck by Wilson until it was just no longer reasonable to do so. He was eventually benched in favor of Tim Boyle and Trevor Siemian after going 4-7 over 11 starts, spelling what would be the eventual end of his time in New York. Boasting a line of 6,293-23-25 over 34 career games, Wilson is officially a reclamation project who may not have more than a summer to prove to Sean Payton that he can contribute to an NFL franchise. According to The Athletics’ Dianna Russini, the Broncos had been eyeing a potential trade for Wilson for weeks, and they believe he still has “tons of talent and potential.” The Jets will reportedly pay close to $2.75 million of Wilson’s salary for the upcoming season.