ENGLEWOOD, Colo — As the Broncos head into their final week of the offseason, it’s a good time to pick out some letters.
OTAs are in the books. Next up, minicamp. What’s your gut and ears telling you on the Broncos' starting QB competition?
--Todd Allerdings
Todd – Let me preface this by pointing out us media folk have only watched three of the Broncos’ 10 OTA practices. The three we’ve seen may or may not be an accurate representation of the 10 overall.
But judging by what we’ve seen, Jarrett Stidham was the best quarterback on two of the three days and was tied with Bo Nix for another.
Zach Wilson has yet to find his rhythm. He’s got a nice throwing motion. The ball flings out of his hand with ease. But he hasn’t been connecting on big throws, at least not what we’ve seen.
I’ve said this a couple times since the week of the draft: Because of the way the contracts are structured for both Stidham and Wilson, Stidham has to outperform Wilson by leaps and bounds to become one of the top two quarterbacks.
Stidham is to draw a $6 million salary this year, which is a tad on the high side if he is to be a backup quarterback, but only $1 million is guaranteed, which means he has little protection.
Wilson is getting paid a relatively modest $2.73 million by the Broncos this year but all $2.73 million is guaranteed. A relatively low salary that is fully guaranteed is as good as it gets for a backup player’s security.
The contracts clearly favor Wilson. But here’s the hitch: Stidham is currently outplaying Wilson. Again, based on the three and only three OTAs we’ve seen.
We get to see all three of the Broncos’ minicamp sessions Tuesday through Thursday. So maybe we’ll have a clearer, or muddier, assessment of the quarterback competition.
Which, by the way, is really Bo vs. Bo for the starting spot, and Stidham vs. Wilson for the other top two spot. When Nix shows he ready to start, he’ll start.
From what I’ve seen, he’s on track to be ready come Sept. 8 at Seattle. He looks good to me.
Media needs to chill. Let (Nix) develop and talk after he plays a game.
--Jeff White
Jeff – You’re right. All talk and evaluations about the rookie quarterback are premature. Any comparison to Drew Brees is ridiculous in one sense. Then again, Sean Payton is the common denominator.
The thirst for information is unquenchable. We don’t even wait for the newspaper to hit the driveway anymore, let alone wait for a first-round prospect to play a game.
We need to know now how Bo is doing.
And in a way-too-early evaluation, he’s doing well. Looking good in OTAs, though, still puts Nix more than 600 touchdown passes and 85,000 passing yards behind Drew Brees.
Am really excited for this season to start. It looks good on paper. We could very well be contenders. Hope is still free, right?
--John Penaflor
John – There is a lot more hope for the Broncos locally than nationally. The national outlook is reflected in the oddsmakers placing the Broncos over/under win total at 5.5.
The pessimism stems from releasing Russell Wilson, eating a $53 million dead-cap charge, and replacing him with a rookie quarterback.
The dead cap situation was a factor in the Broncos saying goodbye to such veteran mainstays as Justin Simmons, Jerry Jeudy, Lloyd Cushenberry III and Josey Jewell.
This has all added up to the lowest expectations for the Broncos going into a season since perhaps the Tebow! year of 2011. Then again, the Broncos wound up winning the AFC West and a first-round playoff game that Tebow! year.
So, yes, John, hope away. Doesn’t cost a thing.
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