Bo Nix's Comeback Reaches Its Biggest Milestone Yet vs. Packers

If this week's training camp practices were any indication, Bo Nix is fired up to play on Friday night.

The Denver Broncos' plan is to play Nix against the Green Bay Packers in the second preseason game of the summer, but until Wednesday, we weren't sure how much. Broncos head coach Sean Payton made no promises, but the target for Nix will be around 14 plays.

“So tonight we’ll do the roles, but he’ll play," Payton said of Nix after practice. "We’ll look at the pitch count, maybe similar to last week for him with that 14-snap count. When we do that tonight, we go through each phase and who might be the early outs and then who might play a little bit more."

Playing Time Factors

I would assume that Nix will be labeled among the "early outs," perhaps along with running back J.K. Dobbins and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle, though it's far from a guarantee that those two will play vs. the Packers.

One of the deciding factors for how long Nix plays has to be the center situation. Calvin Throckmorton has been a lifesaver for the Broncos, stepping in as the first-team center in the wake of injuries to the team's top three players at the position, but he's the No. 4 option behind Luke Wattenberg, Alex Forsyth, and Michael Deiter, the last of whom suffered a season-ending quad injury last week.

However, Nix is rip-roaring, ready to go, so that energy could be persuasive to Payton and the coaches. Nix was knocked down during Day 13's fiery practice, hitting the turf for the second time this camp, which obviously ticked him off, as he jumped up and threw the football at defensive tackle Malcolm Roach, who was celebrating the "sack" with teammates. Nix is supposed to be "off limits," but Roach and company had not gotten the message, as of Tuesday, anyway.

Tuesday's heated practice also featured multiple fights, one of which involved Nix to a degree, pulling rush linebacker Nik Bonitto's leg to get him off a pile of linemen that may have had Throckmorton at the bottom. Bonitto had to be restrained by teammates after that little moment, while Throckmorton popped up, bleeding from the forehead.

“Let’s call it a tussle," Payton said after Wednesday's practice, referencing the big melee from the day before. "I got a chance to watch the film. There were no punches, it was just a tussle.”

Nix Strikes Back on Day 14

Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix (10) prepares to pass the ball during training camp at Broncos Park. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Fortunately, Throckmorton was back at practice on Wednesday, with a bandage on his forehead above his left eye. The Broncos can't afford another injured center, with undrafted rookie Gavin Ortega snapping to the second- and third-team units, along with emergency center Reid Holskey, who plays tackle mostly and a little guard.

On Wednesday, Nix kept the pedal to the metal, connecting on some big downfield plays, including a 60-yard touchdown to Waddle with Patrick Surtain II in coverage and some excellent passes to tight end Evan Engram. It would appear that Denver's QB1 is champing at the bit to get back on the gridiron, having not played in an actual NFL game since suffering his ankle fracture in the playoffs this past January.

Nix is "super excited" to play on Friday night, especially in front of the Mile High faithful. Whether it's preseason, regular season, or playoffs, Nix approaches it the same: he gives 100%.

“You try to treat it as a real one," Nix said on Tuesday, "and treat it like you’re going to go play the whole entire game and then play with maximum intensity until they pull you.”

Who Relieves Nix?

Bo Nix, Sam Ehlinger, and Jarrett Stidham — Denver Broncos quarterback Sam Ehlinger (4) and quarterback Bo Nix (10) and quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) during Denver Broncos Training Camp. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Jarrett Stidham started Game 1 in Atlanta, playing the entire first half with the first- and second-team offensive units. Sam Ehlinger took over in the third quarter, playing the entire second half with the threes.

Payton wasn't ready to reveal which quarterback will be the first to relieve Nix on Friday night against the Packers, though he made it clear that all three signal-callers will play.

“We haven’t met on that," Payton said. "We’ll get all of them in.”

If Stidham is the second quarterback onto the field in Game 2, it would be a pretty strong indicator of where the QB2 competition stands. If Ehlinger gets to play with the second-team unit on Friday, it would signal that the competition is still very much ongoing.

At the NFL owners' meetings in late March, Payton said that there would be "competition" for the backup quarterback job this summer, only to walk that back about a week into training camp. The early signs at camp pointed to a competition, with Ehlinger receiving plenty of reps with the second-team offense, but Stidham was markedly better in the Broncos' 27-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons last week.

There's always the possibility of keeping all three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster out of camp this year, but given how deep the roster is and the needs the Broncos have at other positions, I'm doubtful it'll happen.

While Payton said those conversations have begun behind closed doors at Broncos HQ, the decision hasn't been made yet, and he emphasized that there's still plenty of time for Stidham and Ehlinger to make their respective cases for the roster.

“I think yesterday we were talking about it," Payton said of keeping three quarterbacks. "A lot of it… There are so many things that come into that, but we’ve got time for them.”

The Takeaway

Time will tell how many quarterbacks are kept on the roster. Regardless of which quarterback is second on the field against Green Bay, how Stidham and Ehlinger perform as individuals in Game 2 and Game 3 will ultimately decide who wins the Broncos' QB2 job.

Meanwhile, get ready to see Nix return to the field on Friday night. He could get a few series' worth of snaps to shake the rust off.

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