After missing the playoffs in eight straight seasons and watching the team draft Brock Osweiler, Trevor Siemian, Paxton Lynch, Chad Kelly and Drew Lock over the last 12 years, Denver Broncos fans are desperate for a long-term solution at quarterback.
All hopes are now cast on Bo Nix, the rookie out of Oregon who was selected by the Broncos with the 12th overall pick in April’s draft. Nix spent five years in college — three at Auburn and two at Oregon — and now enters the league as a 24-year-old rookie. His extensive college experience is seen as a positive attribute going into his pro career.
“I think there’s maybe a maturity level because again, he’s played 61 games,” Broncos coach Sean Payton said last week.
Expectations for Nix are a mile high in Denver. Fans expect him to win the starting job this summer (he’s competing against Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson) and eventually lead the Broncos back to playoff glory. Despite being a rookie, Nix has the experience required to handle such lofty expectations.
“I think it will definitely help and for sure won’t hurt,” Nix said during his introductory press conference on April 26 when asked if his experience and maturity can help him handle high expectations as a rookie. “I think experience is one of the best teachers, really in anything. The more you do something, the better you should get at it. Whatever happens, I know that I’m around a great support staff, I’m around great coaches who have been doing this at a high level for a very long time.
“I’m going to be able take it all in, learn as much as I possibly can, grow as much as I possibly can, just to where I can be the best version of myself so I can give that to my teammates, and I can give that to this organization. It is a really exciting time. I’ve been looking forward to being on an NFL roster, being on a team, being picked, everything that goes with that from the transition from college to the NFL. So I can’t wait, and I’m so excited to be here.”
Playing in Payton’s quarterback-friendly offense, Nix seemingly landed in the perfect place to begin his NFL career. It’s not fair to expect him to lead Denver to a Super Bowl right away, but Payton expects the QB to help get the franchise back on track, and fans have bought into that belief. Now it’s up to Nix to meet those expectations.
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