The Denver Broncos are in an unusual situation.
They are hardly the only team interested in the top quarterback prospects from this class. They are not in a position to land one without a substantial drop or trade.
That may entail selecting a player from the next tier, such as Oregon’s Bo Nix, a finalist for the 2023 Heisman Trophy. He has been a trendy option for the Broncos in mock drafts if they are unable to secure a trade into the top half of the first round.
Robert Griffin III, former NFL quarterback, chatted with Nix on his “RG3 and The Ones” podcast.
When asked about joining the Broncos and playing for head coach Sean Payton, Nix was quite appreciative.
“I think that’d be a blast playing for a coach like that who’s been so important for the game, so important for the offensive game, and has made such an impact on the game in general and with the quarterbacks he coached,” Nix said in an interview on April 4.
Nix has attracted comparisons to Drew Brees, Payton’s most well-known former quarterback.
Chase Daniel Brees and Payton won a Super Bowl with the New Orleans Saints, and Brees set other records throughout his career.
“When they compare myself to Drew Brees, it’s like, come on. What are we doing? “That’s one of the greats out there,” Nix stated. “I will take it. Okay, if you want to compare me to Drew Brees. Now I have a lot to accomplish and learn, and a lot to play for. But that comparison is quite respectful.”
Nix stated that his goal under Payton would be to validate the comparisons to Brees.
However, not everyone is sold on Nix. He is among the oldest quarterback prospects in the class. Nix was also significantly less productive during his two years at Oregon, a long-running offensive dynamo, following a rather ordinary three-year stint at Auburn.
Broncos Insider: Bo Nix is a ‘Fringe Starter’
“There are a number of reasons why Nix could fit as the 12th overall pick, most notably his athleticism, toughness, and experience,” Troy Renck of the Denver Post said on April 6.
“My difficulties with Nix are twofold: value and projection. Even with pretzel reasoning, he is not a top-12 talent in this draft despite the position’s importance. Nix’s offense of slants, sticks, and picks makes it difficult to understand how it will regularly translate.
Renck admitted that he struggled to view Nix as more than a “fringe starter and trusted backup”.
It’s easy to forget the explosive attacks that Payton’s Saints unleashed on the league year after year with Brees at the lead. The Broncos from last season were a far cry from that. In 12 of his 15 seasons on the sidelines, his Saints teams finished in the top ten in scoring.
Payton’s Saints finished in the top three seven times and had the best scoring offense twice. During that time, they finished in the top ten in yards 13 times and led the NFL in yards six.
Griffin asked Nix what aspects of the Saints’ offenses suited his game.
Bo Nix compares the Oregon offense to Sean Payton’s Saints.
“When you watch old cut-ups and when you watch what they did with that system, it was quick game, get the ball out, timing stuff that I love to do,” Griffin said of Nix. “It is an extension of the running game.
“People believe that throwing is simply tossing it 100 yards down the field and seeing what happens. I believe that throwing back out-of-the-backfield wheel routes, option routes, high-lows, short up-and-down Fades, and timing throws are what truly open up an offense. That’s what we accomplished so well at Oregon, I suppose. We simply took what the defense gave us, which freed up a lot of our offensive strategy.
Those Saints teams had a variety of backfield threats, including Deuce McCallister, Reggie Bush, Darren Sproles, and Alvin Kamara.
More importantly, Nix fits the bill as the type of distributor the system requires.
Renck admitted that Nix’s ability to play in rhythm and on time could benefit the Broncos. Those are two things Brees has identified as tent poles of Payton’s offense. Brees believes this is why things did not work out with Russell Wilson. Perhaps Nix can restore the attack’s familiar appearance.
“As the draft inches closer, Nix checks boxes in what Payton seeks in a quarterback,” Renck stated in an email. “He could be the pick.”
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