The Denver Broncos appear to have found their franchise quarterback in former Oregon Duck Bo Nix. Nix began his college career with the Auburn Tigers before transferring to Eugene to play for Dan Lanning at Oregon. His standout performance there led to his selection in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft—and he’s only continued to prove himself since.
Nix has done nothing but impress those around him, and expectations for his rookie season are sky-high. If anyone is equipped to handle the pressure, it’s Nix, who has been in the spotlight since his high school days.
“I’m just really impressed with how [Bo Nix] carried himself throughout the season. Obviously, the connection between [Sean] Payton and Nix, you could feel the trust level. I had them early, had them in that Jets game early in the season, when Payton in our production meeting, basically went on and on to say, no, no, this guy’s the guy, and we know it. And it was still when the stats weren’t backing up all of the plaudits,” Ian Eagle said.
It’s clear that Denver has its starting quarterback and future leader in place. Behind him, the Broncos may be giving Desmond Ridder an opportunity to earn the backup role. Ridder started much of the 2023–2024 season for the Falcons, but after limited playing time in Las Vegas last year, he’s now looking for a fresh start in Denver.
“Quarterback Desmond Ridder remains a free agent, but he will get a tryout this weekend. Ridder will throw at the Broncos’ rookie minicamp, Mike Klis of 9News reports,” Charean Williams wrote.
Ridder was a second-round pick by the Falcons in the 2022 NFL Draft and was once considered a key piece of their rebuild. That hope, however, faded quickly. Now, Ridder is aiming to make a strong impression and secure a spot on the Broncos’ roster—at least for the time being.
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