Despite becoming only the second Broncos signal caller since Peyton Manning to feature in the NFL’s top 100 player list, Bo Nix is not satisfied. Nix wants to see his name at the top.
Sean Payton instantly took a liking to Nix during the NFL Combine and drafted the former Auburn and Oregon player at 12th overall last year. Nix outperformed Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham in the offseason camp to bag the starting quarterback job.
Nix threw a league-high 904 yards (eight TDs) on passes while on the run (8+ MPH) in 2024. It was the fourth most by any quarterback since 2016 (the Chiefs’ Patrick Mahomes occupies the other three).
The Broncos finished 10-7 to qualify for the playoffs. It was their first postseason appearance since Manning won the Super Bowl in 2015. However, a supercharged Buffalo Bills team scored 30+ points against the Broncos in the wild card to end their journey.
Earlier this month, the NFL honored Nix by naming him the 64th-best player in the league. Nix believes it’s a cool honor to have, but it’s only the beginning.
I am motivated; I want to continue to get higher. Not even for the ranking. It doesn’t really matter what you’re ranked; it’s just an internal standard that I have that I want to be the best in the world.
Bo Nix said (ht/NBC Sports)
Plenty of guys share the same opinion as Nix. The only thing that matters is results. Payton added tight end Evan Engram and drafted running back R.J. Harvey to make sure Nix doesn’t see a second-year slump.
Engram, the former Giants and Jaguars player, praised the atmosphere in the Broncos’ facility during a recent presser.
The camaraderie we have, the laughs that we have. It’s an incredible locker room with a lot of great leaders.
Engram said
The Athletic’s Nick Kosmider, in a recent article, raved about Payton’s vision. Kosmider believes Engram and Harvey may turn out to be key players to get the best out of Nix.
[Bo Nix] ranked 27th among 36 qualified QBs in EPA [expected points added] per drop back on throws of 25 or more air yards… Engram and Harvey will get defenses out of some of their two-high looks and open up clearer deep-ball shots. If Nix can improve his efficiency with those shots, the Broncos can start forcing defenses into increasingly difficult decisions.
Bo Nix must overcome divisional challenges before thinking about the playoffs
Despite the optimism, Broncos fans should not forget that their team plays in arguably the toughest division in the NFL, with the Kansas City Chiefs, the Los Angeles Chargers, and the Las Vegas Raiders.
The Chiefs reached the Super Bowl last season even though Patrick Mahomes wasn’t at his best. Jim Harbaugh led the Chargers to the playoffs in his debut campaign and is projected to go deep in 2025.
However, the surprise packages of the group might be the Raiders. The Tom Brady-led franchise appointed veteran Pete Carroll as head honcho, signed Geno Smith as quarterback, and drafted Heisman runner-up Ashton Jeanty as their potential starting running back.
BetMGM’s latest survey revealed that the Chiefs are -150 favorites to win the AFC West, while the Chargers are +333 and the Broncos +350.
Nix and the Broncos will kick off their 2025 NFL campaign by hosting the AFC South club, the Tennessee Titans, at Mile High.
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