One Broncos Player Who Just Dodged a Major Draft-Day Bullet

If the Denver Broncos could do it again, maybe they would have earmarked one of their three seventh-round draft picks for a quarterback. Or, at the very least, signed a priority free agent after the draft.

Then again, maybe not.

The Broncos did not draft or sign a quarterback, and while that's good news for Jarrett Stidham, the team may still have need of one. It's unclear whether the Broncos realized over draft weekend that Bo Nix would need an extra six weeks or so to recover, after it was decided at a med-check appointment with his surgeon that he needed a "cleanup procedure" on his surgically repaired ankle.

"He had a recheck that was scheduled. He’s doing great," head coach Sean Payton said at the conclusion of the draft. "We’re excited about his progress. Nothing to report."

Three days later, the reports of what happened at Nix's med-check appointment surfaced. Before the "cleanup procedure," the Broncos had put Nix's return timetable at May, saying for months during this offseason that he'd be on the field for OTAs in June. According to reports, though, Nix's new timetable to return is training camp.

It could be sooner — and the Broncos have yet to comment publicly since Tuesday's news broke — but it sounds like late July is when Nix will be able to take the field again. So, the Broncos might go out and sign a quarterback to provide the needed wide receiver reps during June's voluntary and mandatory minicamps.

Make no mistake, though: Nix will be back under center long before the Broncos get to meaningful football in September. But there's a long row to hoe between now and then.

Stidham Stands Tall

Denver Broncos quarterback Jarrett Stidham (8) reacts during the first half in the 2026 AFC Championship Game. | Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

As for Stidham and the dodging of a bullet, it might be a bit hyperbolic to portray it that way, but he is entering a contract year, and there have been rumors throughout the offseason that some quarterback-needy teams around the NFL were interested in exploring trade options to acquire him.

However, the odds were that if such a trade were to happen, it would occur during draft weekend. No trade came, so Stidham dodged that bullet for sure, though we don't know how serious the trade rumors were pre-draft.

The Broncos' decision not to add a quarterback from the college ranks signals the team's confidence in its quarterback room. With Nix at the top and Stidham as the backup, the Broncos also have Sam Ehlinger returning on a one-year, $2 million deal. It's a room the team has felt very comfortable with for more than a year.

Because Nix is expected to be available for training camp and all of those subsequent reps, maybe the Broncos don't sign a quarterback, and Stidham and Ehlinger share the load of ensuring the third-string, bottom-of-the-roster receivers get enough reps. It could be done; it just depends on the team's priorities.

During the offseason, the Broncos' roster can be 90 players. The Broncos also have the added benefit of the International Player roster exemption during the offseason in punter Jeremy Crawshaw, which could open up one spot for a short-term quarterback.

At the end of the day, it would take an offer the Broncos really couldn't refuse — Vito Corleone style — to pry Stidham off their hands. As fans learned during the week-long ramp-up to the AFC championship game, Stidham is beloved by the coaches and his teammates.

It didn't pan out for Stidham and the Broncos against the New England Patriots, but that didn't change how the veteran quarterback is viewed internally. So, unless a team is willing to part with some premium draft capital, he's not going anywhere.

The Takeaway

The Broncos did not trade Stidham, nor have they brought in any competition to push him. That's very interesting, because most of Denver's key players entering a contract year — like left guard Ben Powers, tight end Evan Engram, and safety Brandon Jones — had players drafted last week at their positions.

As for Nix, it might be too much to call his "cleanup procedure" a setback, but describing it as a "new timetable" seems fair at this stage. And with that new timetable, the Broncos may need to lean on Stidham and Ehlinger a bit more to keep all the receivers and tight ends fed rep-wise during June's OTAs and minicamp.

Either that, or sign a short-term quarterback.

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