The Broncos are 1-2, but their first three opponents are a combined 8-1 this season. Now, can Denver upset the Jets?
The Denver Broncos have started the 2024 NFL season with a 1-2 record, but the three teams they’ve faced are a combined 8-1. That prompted Nate Davis to opine in his weekly power rankings: “Maybe they’re due a little more respect.”
In their season opener, the Broncos lost to the Seattle Seahawks (3-0) by six points (26-20) on the road. Through three weeks, Seattle’s defense is ranked fourth in points allowed (14.3 per game) and second in yards allowed (248.7 YPG).
In Week 2, Denver lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers (3-0) by seven points (13-6) at home. Pittsburgh’s defense ranks first in points allowed (8.7 PPG) and first in yards allowed (229.7 YPG).
On Sunday, the Broncos handed the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1) their first loss of the season with a convincing 19-point victory (26-7). Tampa Bay’s defense was not nearly as formidable as the squads Denver faced in the first two weeks of the season. The Bucs rank 16th in points allowed (20.7 PPG) and 26th in yards allowed (371.3 YPG).
It remains to be seen if Tampa Bay will be a playoff contender in the NFC this season, but the Seahawks and Steelers appear to be legit, especially on defense. So, where does that leave the Broncos?
On deck this week is a road game against the New York Jets (2-1), who rank eighth in points allowed (17.3 PPG) and seventh in yards allowed (280 YPG). If Denver’s offense manages to move the ball and score points in New Jersey like it did in Florida, Broncos Country will have hope that 2024 won’t be a lost season.
With Tua Tagovailoa on IR and Skylar Thompson injured, the Dolphins need help at quarterback. Perhaps the Broncos could offer Zach Wilson?
After placing Tua Tagovailoa on injured reserve, the Miami Dolphins will not have their starting quarterback available for at least four games. The first game without Tagovailoa did not go well as Miami fell to the Seattle Seahawks 24-3, and fill-in QB Skylar Thompson suffered a ribs injury.
During an appearance on the Pat McAfee Show on Monday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter listed three quarterbacks that he believes Miami should consider targeting in a trade.
“I’d call Denver,” Schefter said, “and I’d say, ‘What would you want for Zach Wilson?'”
.@AdamSchefter says there are three QBs that could make sense for Miami ✍️
Schefter also suggested Russell Wilson (Pittsburgh Steelers) and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (Cleveland Browns) as potential trade candidates for the Dolphins. Schefter made it clear that he was not reporting that contact had been made, but merely that he thinks Miami should be making calls.
The Broncos opted to carry three quarterbacks on their 53-man roster this year: Bo Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Wilson. Denver’s brass has made it clear that the team views Wilson as a player who will start in the NFL again in the future, but he’s currently the third-string quarterback on the Broncos’ depth chart.
Denver acquired Wilson from the New York Jets in exchange for a sixth-round draft pick this spring. If Stidham is poised to remain as Nix’s backup this season, the Broncos should consider sending Wilson to Miami. If the team can get a higher pick than what it cost to acquire him, or if they can land a player from the Dolphins who could contribute right away, sending Wilson to Miami could be a smart move for Denver.
ESPN’s Dan Graziano listed Panthers QB Bryce Young and a pair of his teammates as top trade candidates for this year’s deadline.
The Carolina Panthers don’t seem too interested in parting ways with the recently-benched Bryce Young, at least not yet. But what if they were . . . ?
ESPN senior NFL national reporter Dan Graziano explored that scenario, and a handful of others, on Friday—as he named 15 players who could be on the move before this year’s trade deadline. Graziano includes Young in the bunch, writing that there should be other organizations willing to reignite the 2023 No. 1 overall pick:
Two days after benching Young just 18 games into his career for Andy Dalton, Panthers coach Dave Canales said the team isn’t trading Young. But wacky things happen in Carolina and plans change quickly. If the Panthers decide they can’t fix Young, who knows at that point? Surely there are teams out there willing to take on a potential reclamation player who was the first overall pick in the draft 17 months ago.
Young is making only $915,000 in salary this year, but an acquiring team would take on a fully guaranteed $10.13 million in salary over the next two seasons, which could be an impediment. That’s also true for the $12.3 million in dead money the Panthers would incur with a deal — and that assumes they wouldn’t have to pay any of the salary to move him. But again, it’s a tough situation to predict.
Graziano lists the Miami Dolphins as a possible landing spot for Young, who threw for just 245 yards and three touchdowns in two games prior to his demotion earlier this week.
Young is joined by a pair of teammates on the list—running back Miles Sanders and wide receiver Diontae Johnson. Graziano connects Sanders to the Dallas Cowboys and Johnson to the New England Patriots.
Panthers HC Dave Canales was asked about the trade speculation surrounding the recently-benched Bryce Young.
Hold off those trade scenarios for the Carolina Panthers and quarterback Bryce Young, at least for now.
The team got back to the practice field for the first time since Young’s benching was made official by head coach Dave Canales earlier this week. Canales was asked how Young responded during the session.
“Right back to work,” Canales said. “Dove into the game plan. We had our conversations in the QB room—just goin’ around talkin’ about the reads, talkin’ about what we’re seeing from the defense. Followed it up with a great day on the field, some fantastic throws and just got right back to work—which is exactly what I expected him to do.”
Carolina, obviously, didn’t expect Young to do what he did in the first two outings of 2024. After an offseason of optimism, the 2023 No. 1 overall pick passed for just 245 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions in a pair of blowout losses to begin the campaign.
Young has now taken a backseat to 14th-year veteran Andy Dalton, who will get the starting nod in Week 3 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
So if Dalton is the guy moving forward, will the Panthers move off of Young completely?
Canales was then asked if the team plans to hold on to their 23-year-old passer.
“Yeah, that’s not something we’re really considering,” he said of the trade speculation surrounding Young. “We have a great situation with our quarterbacks right now, with guys that have experience. So, we love where we’re at.”
After beating the Broncos, the Steelers gave Russell Wilson a ‘petty game ball.’ Justin Fields said Wilson was done dirty in Denver.
Russell Wilson returned to Empower Field at Mile High on Sunday, but he did not start against his former team.
Wilson is still dealing with a calf injury, so the Pittsburgh Steelers opted to start Justin Fields against the Denver Broncos on Sunday. Despite being inactive, Wilson still dressed for the game as Pittsburgh’s emergency third-string quarterback.
Fields went 13-of-20 passing for 117 yards with one touchdown and no turnovers in a 13-6 win over the Broncos. After the game, Fields said, “I think we all know Russ got kind of [done] dirty last year.”
Fields also revealed that Wilson and two other ex-Denver players — wide receiver Brandon Johnson and punter Corliss Waitman — received “petty game balls” after the Steelers beat their former team.
Justin Fields said everyone knew Russell Wilson was “did dirty” last year by the Broncos and they wanted to win today for him in Denver. Also mentioned Russ got a “petty” game ball along with two other ex-Broncos. pic.twitter.com/12Cqb8XH7I
Wilson completed 66.4% of his passes last season and threw 26 touchdown passes compared to eight interceptions. He was also sacked 45 times in 15 games before being benched.
Broncos coach Sean Payton opted to release Wilson this spring, a move that created the largest dead money cap hit in NFL history ($53 million). Payton replaced Wilson by using a first-round pick to select Oregon quarterback Bo Nix in the 2024 NFL draft.
Through two games this season, Nix has no touchdown passes and four interceptions and Denver’s off to an 0-2 start.
Bo Nix struggled in his NFL debut. Here’s how fans and pundits reacted on social media.
Bo Nix made his first NFL start on Sunday and it did not go well.
The Denver Broncos‘ rookie quarterback went 26-of-42 passing for 138 yards with no touchdown passes and two bad interceptions. He was also sacked twice. One bright spot for Nix was his five carries for 35 yards and a score, but overall, it was a day to forget in Seattle.
Here’s a sampling of how fans and pundits reacted to Nix’s NFL debut.
Nix will get his first opportunity to bounce back next week when the Broncos host the Pittsburgh Steelers (1-0) at Empower Field at Mile High on Sept. 15.
After losing Jordan Love for “about three weeks” to a knee injury, the Packers should make the Broncos a trade offer for a quarterback.
Green Bay Packers quarterback Jordan Love suffered a knee sprain in the team’s season-opening loss to the Philadelphia Eagles on Friday and the quarterback is now expected to miss “about three weeks.”
The Packers still haven’t announced who will start while Love is sidelined. Their two options are Malik Willis (who has three career starts on his resume) and Sean Clifford, who threw just one pass as a rookie last fall.
A third option would be bringing in an outside quarterback.
The Denver Broncos have a pair of potential trade candidates in Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson.
Stidham (28) has only started four games in his career, but he’s a veteran who has been in the NFL since 2019. He is currently listed as the No. 2 quarterback on Denver’s depth chart behind starter Bo Nix. Stidham rushed for a touchdown against the Packers in Week 2 of preseason.
Wilson (25) is a former second overall pick with 33 career starts. The Broncos have consistently praised Wilson this summer despite his QB3 status. Wilson threw a touchdown pass against Green Bay in preseason.
The Broncos sent a sixth-round draft pick to the New York Jets in exchange for Wilson and a seventh-round pick in April. Perhaps general manager George Paton could talk the Packers into a fifth-round pick for Wilson?
There have been no reports thus far that Green Bay is planning to bring in an outside QB, but the Packers should consider giving Denver a call.
Bo Nix is the sixth-youngest starting quarterback in the NFL going into the 2024 season. Here’s the full list.
Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix entered the NFL this spring as a 24-year-old rookie after spending five years in college.
He’s older than a typical rookie, but Nix still ranks among the youngest starting quarterbacks in the NFL going into his first season.
Of the five QBs younger than Nix, only two are rookies. Bryce Young (23), Jayden Daniels (23; rookie), C.J. Stroud (22), Caleb Williams (22; rookie) and Anthony Richardson (22) are the youngest starting QBs in the league.
J.J. McCarthy (21) would have had a chance to become the NFL’s youngest starter this year, but he’s out for the season with a torn meniscus.
Aaron Rodgers (40) is the oldest quarterback in the league, with Kirk Cousins (36), Matthew Stafford (36) and Russell Wilson (35) behind him.
Up next are Derek Carr (33), Geno Smith (33), Dak Prescott (31) and Jacoby Brissett (31), but rookie Drake Maye (22) could overtake Brissett this fall.
We’ve listed the ages of all 32 starting quarterbacks below with parentheses providing context of younger QBs waiting in the wings.
NFL quarterbacks ranked oldest to youngest
Aaron Rodgers (40)
Kirk Cousins (36)
Matthew Stafford (36)
Russell Wilson (35) (Justin Fields: 25)
Derek Carr (33) (Spencer Rattler: 23)
Geno Smith (33)
Dak Prescott (31)
Jacoby Brissett (31) (Drake Maye: 22)
Baker Mayfield (29)
Jared Goff (29)
Gardner Minshew (28) (Aiden O’Connell: 26)
Josh Allen (28)
Deshaun Watson (28)
Patrick Mahomes (28)
Lamar Jackson (27)
Daniel Jones (27)
Sam Darnold (27) (J.J. McCarthy: 21)
Kyler Murray (27)
Joe Burrow (27)
Tua Tagovailoa (26)
Justin Herbert (26)
Jalen Hurts (26)
Will Levis (25)
Jordan Love (25)
Trevor Lawrence (24)
Brock Purdy (24)
Bo Nix (24)
Bryce Young (23)
Jayden Daniels (23)
C.J. Stroud (22)
Caleb Williams (22)
Anthony Richardson (22)
When Nix lines up under center on Sunday, he will become Denver’s first rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since John Elway in 1983.
Set to make his first NFL start, Broncos CB Riley Moss hopes Seattle tests him. “I hope it’s gonna happen, and I’m ready to make a play.”
The Denver Broncos used a third-round draft pick to select Iowa cornerback Riley Moss last year. After undergoing core muscle surgery in the offseason, Moss was mostly limited to special teams duties as a rookie, but he is now expected to start across from Pat Surtain in Year 2.
Moss will make his first career start against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday afternoon, and he expects quarterback Geno Smith to test him.
“Absolutely,” Moss said Friday when asked if he thinks the Seahawks will want to test a cornerback making his first NFL start. “I’ve had this my first start at Iowa. I went out there and I got three deep bombs like [on the] first drive, and I ended up with two picks that day. So, it’s a thing that you know it’s gonna happen, I hope it’s gonna happen, and I’m ready to make a play.”
Moss, 24, is the only white starting cornerback in the NFL, a factoid that has led to teasing from even his own teammates. With Surtain expected to follow DK Metcalf on Sunday, Moss will likely be primarily matched up against Tyler Lockett or Jaxon Smith-Njigba, depending on the formation.
After playing just 23 snaps on defense last season, Moss is still seeking his first career pass breakup and first career interception. Expected to draw plenty of targets on Sunday, Moss will have ample opportunities to make plays on Sunday.
Bo Nix is a 24-year-old rookie who set the NCAA’s single-season completion record (77.45%) at Oregon. Now he’s the QB1 in Denver.
The Denver Broncos are set to start Bo Nix when they go on the road to face the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1 of the 2024 NFL season on Sunday.
Nix (6-2, 217 pounds) was picked by the Broncos in the first round of the 2024 NFL draft (12th overall). After beating out veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson in a quarterback competition this summer, Nix will become Denver’s first rookie quarterback to start in Week 1 since John Elway (1983).
Nix is one of three rookie quarterbacks set to start in Week 1 this season, joining Caleb Williams (Chicago Bears) and Jayden Daniels (Washington Commanders).
Nix was born in Arkadelphia, Arkansas and raised in Pinson Valley, Alabama. In high school, he was coached by his father, Patrick Nix, a former Auburn quarterback who has been coaching since 1996.
Here are five more Nix tidbits to know going into Week 1.
1. Where did Bo Nix go to college?
(Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports)
Nix started his college career at Auburn, where his dad played. After three seasons with the Tigers, Nix transferred to the Oregon Ducks. He ended up playing five years in college and set an NCAA record with 61 career starts. Nix was named the Pac-12 Offensive Player of the Year in 2023 after winning the Fiesta Bowl at Oregon. He also won the 2022 Holiday Bowl.
2. How old is Bo Nix?
(Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports)
After playing five years at the college level, Nix enters the NFL as a 24-year-old rookie. He is older than a typical rookie, but still the sixth-youngest starting quarterback in the NFL this season. Teammates and coaches have noted that Nix’s extensive college experience has translated to the NFL well as the QB is more mature and composed than a typical rookie.
3. Bo Nix stats
(Jamie Schwaberow/Getty Images)
Nix set an NCAA single-season record with a 77.45% completion rate last season and he finished third in Heisman Trophy voting. In two seasons at Oregon, Nix threw for 8,101 yards and 74 touchdowns against 10 interceptions. Nix ended his time in college with a 43-18 record. In two preseason games this summer, Nix went 23-of-30 passing for 205 yards with two touchdown passes and no turnovers (and no sacks).
4. Bo Nix fantasy football names
(Photo by Tyler Schank/Getty Images)
Popular Bo Nix fantasy football team names include Super Bo or Bust, Hooked On BoNix, Bo Throws, If it’s broke Bo Nix it, Nixing the Competition, Don’t Stop Bolieving, Duck Duck Bo, BoNix Horseman, Bo Knows, It’s Bo Time, Seal Team Nix, Bo Knows Football, Nix Six, Just Bo It, BObi-Wan Kenobi, Big Nix Energy, Nix and Chill, Maybe Nix Year, Nix for Six, Casa Bo-Nita, Bo Nix-A-Lot, Nix-on Administration and Bolieve.
5. How many quarterbacks have the Broncos had since Peyton Manning?
The Broncos have gone through 13 different starting quarterbacks since Peyton Manning’s retirement in 2016. Nix is set to become No. 14 today.
