Can Bo Nix prove he's ready to start?

Denver Broncos quarterbacks Bo Nix (10) and Zach Wilson (4) drop back to pass during Minicamp practice at Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit in Englewood on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. (Photo by Zachary Spindler-Krage/The Denver Post)

Editor’s Note: First in a series profiling the Broncos’ position groups ahead of training camp. Today, the quarterbacks.

On the program (three): Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson

How many are there on the 53? Probably two, outside possibility of three.

The most notable transfer of the offseason: Nix was selected 12th overall in April’s draft.

The Broncos made a quarterback move by trading for Wilson on Monday of draft week. That Thursday, they made THE Nix’s first-round pick was a quarterback pick. Head coach Sean Payton bragged in February that Denver would make the quarterback decision and predicted the others wouldn’t. At the end of the offseason, he said Nix had been everything they thought he would be when they scouted him at Oregon and Auburn. He’s the man with whom Payton’s second act as coach will be most closely associated.

The biggest question to answer at camp: Is Nix ready from the start?

The quarterback question can be asked any way you want, but it’s impossible not to acknowledge that Nix is at the center of it. First-round picks play. They don’t usually wait very long. The number of players who were selected immediately, like Wilson, far outnumbered the number of players who waited a long time, like Green Bay’s Jordan Love. The choice, Payton has said repeatedly this offseason, often comes down to who’s in front of a young player. If it’s a proven veteran, sometimes it’s better to watch and learn. Otherwise, the rookie tends to play early. The Broncos fall squarely into the latter category. If Nix shows he can make the offense work in the preseason, there’s no reason he shouldn’t be playing in September.

Battle to follow: There is no doubt about it, but don’t overlook the battle for second place.

The competition to be Denver’s starter will be the talk of training camp, but what’s almost as interesting is what Payton and his teammates decide at No. 2. Stidham is more well-known and Payton thinks he still has potential. Wilson has tantalizing talent and tepid actual production from his three years in New York. They’re only under contract for this season, with Wilson carrying slightly more guaranteed money ($2.55 million owed by the Broncos to Stidham’s $1 million). Is this a dollars-and-cents decision? Is this a potential long-term decision? Is it simply a matter of who plays better this summer? Or is it ultimately about finding a stable player to back up Nix? So far, Wilson can be credited with two of those categories (money and long-term potential) and Stidham with the other two. Another question: Can Denver sign one of them off the practice squad in late August?

Under the radar player: Wilson.

The guy isn’t exactly under the radar after being drafted second overall just three years ago and then blazing through the biggest media market in the country. But he enters training camp already seen by some as a laggard compared to Nix and Stidham. At times, his decision-making during OTAs and minicamp has been questionable. He seems like the best chance of the trio to start Week 1 in Seattle. And yet, the arm talent is obvious when the three stand side by side and throw. Payton has made a point of saying that arm strength alone is overrated by NFL observers, but he’s also made it clear that the Broncos want a chance to work with Wilson’s talent. It’s not the most likely outcome, but if Wilson gets off to a good start in camp, August gets interesting quickly.

Tuesday: The running backs.

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