How Broncos Maneuvered to Accelerate Bo Nix's Growth

There is a lot of hype and belief in Bo Nix and the Denver Broncos for the upcoming season. That tends to happen on the heels of a historic rookie quarterback season, like the Broncos had with Nix, as the team returned to the playoffs.

Of course, the question is what Nix can do this year to take the next step in his career.  

Broncos head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton did a lot to give Nix the help he'll need to take that next step. When you look back at what happened last year, two major issues were beyond Nix’s control that led to problems for both him and the passing offense.

Nix and Payton worked well together last season, with the young quarterback seeming like the perfect fit for the scheme. That being said, the Broncos ranked 20th in passing yards last year, showing there is plenty of room for improvement.

Nix was very good as a rookie, but he still has to improve, and there are plenty of areas to do so. Again, though, there were clear issues outside his control, and Paton and Payton made sure to address them this offseason. 

There were multiple instances last year where the Broncos' lack of weapons was evident, with Nix often zeroing in on Courtland Sutton and trying to force plays because the rest of the team was lacking. Nix also had to deal with a lack of a running game, which put even more pressure on him and the passing offense to pick up the slack. 

Neither of those issues should be a concern in the upcoming season, as Denver has added weapons in tight end Evan Engram and wide receiver Pat Bryant for the passing game, as well as running backs RJ Harvey and J.K. Dobbins for the ground attack. Bryant’s blocking ability should help the run game, as can the addition of wide receiver Trent Sherfield, and both Harvey and Dobbins can elevate the passing attack. 

With the coaching staff around Nix the same, and the same veteran quarterback behind him, there is no excuse for an improved showing in 2025, barring an injury. Paton and Payton believe in Nix, and they've shown that in how they've built around him. The team's approach to building around him even dates back to last year. Not only did the Broncos draft Nix, but they also drafted two weapons on which they're betting in a big way this year. 

Sutton and Engram give Nix the needed veterans, and will likely lead the way in targets, but Devaughn Vele and Bryant are battling it out for the No. 2 wide receiver spot, with the young veteran being the favored option, though an injury has more than opened the door for the rookie.

Then you have Troy Franklin and Marvin Mims Jr. as explosive play options, which the Broncos struggled to generate with consistency last season. If these younger receivers can step up and the two veterans stay healthy, Nix should have no issue with his receiving weapons. 

Now, there are questions about the running backs as receivers, which is a significant part of the Payton offense. However, the Broncos believe Harvey and Dobbins are decent enough to offer up some contributions there.

The Broncos need those two backs, along with whoever else emerges between Jaleel McLaughlin, Audric Estime, Tyler Badie, and Blake Watson, to bring about a dramatic shift in the run game compared to last season. 

The Takeaway

Even though the Broncos' run game ranked 16th in average rushing yards per game, there's no doubt it was a weak unit, worse than their passing offense. That was evidenced by the 4.1 yards per attempt Denver averaged, which was tied for the fourth-worst in the NFL last season.

The Broncos lacked consistency, failed to produce explosive plays, and lacked reliability. Harvey and Dobbins address each of those issues in their own way.