Having a dynamic and productive quarterback playing on a rookie contract is sweet music to the ears of any NFL general manager. The presence of second-year quarterback Bo Nix allowed Denver Broncos general manager George Paton to go hard and fast after high-profile free agents like Dre Greenlaw, Talanoa Hufanga, and Evan Engram this offseason.
As far as Paton and the Broncos are concerned, the first-round capture of Nix last year has allowed them to place the franchise's future in his very capable hands. It's in vogue within NFL circles to hitch the organizational bandwagon to a younger, more cost-effective quarterback, but it's far from being an exact science.
NFL.com's Nick Shook created a list of the top 15 quarterbacks playing on a rookie contract, and the results will be most polarizing within Broncos Country, as Nix checked in at the No. 7 spot.
"Nix exceeded every expectation set for him in 2024 and can thank Sean Payton -- the coach who recognized Nix’s strengths and put him in the best positions to succeed (e.g., throwing outside of the pocket) -- for much of his success. At one point midway through the season, Nix was gaining steam as an outside contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year," Shook wrote. "The mistakes that typically come with being a rookie quarterback eventually doomed that campaign, but make no mistake: Denver has plenty of reason to be excited after Nix led the team to its first postseason appearance in nearly a decade in his first pro season. Now, the key will be to build on what Nix and the Broncos accomplished in 2024 and avoid regressing."
There's a lot to digest from Shook's take on Nix, both in how he comes to his conclusions about Nix and in which quarterbacks he ranks ahead of the Broncos' signal-caller. Shook's take, that Nix's foibles down the stretch somehow derailed his concerted push to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year award, doesn't hold water.
After all, we're talking about a rookie who led his team to the playoffs after a near decade-long drought, and won five out of his last seven games to deliver just such redemption. Even his two late-season games against the Indianapolis Colts, when Nix threw a career-high three interceptions, and the Cleveland Browns, when he threw two more picks on Monday Night Football, he still won.
Furthermore, Nix went toe-to-toe with Cincinnati Bengals superstar quarterback Joe Burrow in a nationally televised encounter in a penultimate Week 17 AFC matchup. Nix proved beyond any doubt that he could trade blows and perform in the clutch on the road, although the Bengals narrowly survived in overtime with their playoff future completely on the line.
Yet somehow, there's a belief in certain quarters that Nix will somehow take a step back in his critical sophomore year, even though he'll be surrounded a greatly improved supporting cast. Sheer draft pedigree and potential appear to hold more sway than Nix's 29 passing touchdowns (second-most by a rookie in NFL history), while orchestrating a playoff appearance in Year 1, which will surely baffle Broncos fans.
Why else would Shook rank Caleb Williams of the Chicago Bears, Drake Maye of the New England Patriots, and Bryce Young of the Carolina Panthers ahead of Nix, the last of whom looked more polished a pro than all three?
Rubbing salt into the wounds, the year-two regression of Houston Texans quarterback CJ Stroud was mentioned by Shook, but it ultimately didn't impinge on his ranking as the No. 2 quarterback playing on a rookie contract. Stround inevitably checks in behind poster boy quarterback Jayden Daniels in the top spot, a player with whom Nix nevertheless kept pace for most of his rookie campaign.
In the No. 3 spot, we find Brock Purdy of the San Francisco 49ers, who will pocket a huge contract soon on the back of his fairly recent Super Bowl appearance, and of course, being the GOAT of Mr. Irrelevants. It's quite an accomplishment for a player drafted dead last in 2022, but Purdy still might struggle to lead a greatly depleted Niners squad out of the pickle it finds itself in this year, especially if his injury issues resurface again.
One can certainly risk venting a little too much over Shook's list. However, the gaping holes in his logic and quarterback arithmetic can be justifiably poked at.
At the end of the day, Broncos head coach Sean Payton and the organization know exactly what they have in Nix, and so does the fan base.
