Denver's Bo Nix Leading Exciting Season Oregon Quarterbacks in the NFL

The number of Oregon Ducks in the NFL has only increased, and a few in particular are making noise before the NFL season.

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is returning from injury, and Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert is set to take the field for the first time with offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel calling plays. The two former Ducks quarterbacks will face off twice during the season as AFC West rivals, creating must-see TV for Oregon fans on Sundays.

Bo Nix

Nix is coming back from an ankle injury that ended his season and effectively ended Denver's Super Bowl hopes in 2026 as the Broncos lost to the New England Patriots without Nix.

Expectations are high for Denver in 2026, and Broncos offensive coordinator Davis Webb recently compared Nix's progression to Buffalo Bills star Josh Allen, one of the most proven quarterbacks in the NFL.

"There was some long hours in the offseason, the passing game staff, of really trying to evaluate and watch the last two years of him playing. And how does our first read marry up with our second read? Depth wise, play call wise, where we are in the point of the game. I think we’ve done a good job managing that, however, that allows him to get to his feet as well. There’s some positives, some negatives. Josh Allen was very similar at that stage in his career with Bo, and I think it’s noticeable the strides he’s taking," Webb said.

Nix's ankle is certainly worth monitoring as he returns to the field, but the former Oregon Duck's growth entering his third NFL season makes Denver one of the more intriguing teams in 2026.

Justin Herbert

Herbert is entering his seventh season in the NFL, and he's less likely to see the field during the preseason as a result.

Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh laid out the plan for handling Herbert as well as the rest of the team's starters and veterans as Los Angeles prepares to open the preseason against the Houston Texans on Thursday, Aug. 13.

"We have a plan. Veterans, starters, not an exact 11, more like 15 that will warm up for the game [in Houston] and then not play. Then about 27 or so will play in the first preseason game. Second preseason game, we'd like to see the starters, the veterans play a series. And in the third game, we'd like to see them play two series," Harbaugh said.

Herbert has showed promise since leaving Oregon and entering the league, winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2020. However, his lack of postseason success is a major criticism that surrounds the former Ducks star. In three playoff losses, Herbert has completed an average of 54.7 passes while throwing 2 touchdowns and 4 interceptions.

He won the Rose Bowl with Oregon, but the Chargers quarterback has not yet won a playoff game. Can new offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel teaming up with Herbert be the difference?

Oregon Ducks on Las Vegas Raiders

Las Vegas Raiders rookie wide receiver Malik Benson is reportedly turning heads before the season after making noise at Oregon and playing his way into the 2026 NFL Draft. Benson is looking to break into the Raiders' wide receiver rotation that features Jalen Nailor, Jack Bech, and Tre Tucker.

An injury to Nailor has given Benson an opportunity before the season, and Las Vegas quarterback Kirk Cousins recently heaped praise onto the former Oregon receiver:

"I really like our sixth-round pick, Malik Benson," Cousins told ESPN's Dan Graziano.

Meanwhile, former Ducks center Jackson Powers-Johnson is expected to play right guard for the new Las Vegas coaching staff with center Tyler Linderbaum also joining the team. His job as a starting offensive lineman is not quite secure, though, with one of the Raiders' biggest position battles taking place between Powers-Johnson and Caleb Rogers.

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