Jarrett Stidham focused on beating out Bo Nix, Zach Wilson for Broncos QB1 job: 'I'm here to compete'

They say if you have two quarterbacks, you really have none. But consider that the Broncos are splitting their QB reps three ways. And Jarrett Stidham, who ended the season as the starter, doesn’t plan on giving up the job.

He said as much this week as the Broncos started phase three of OTAs. There’s Stidham. Denver traded for Zach Wilson, the former starter with the Jets, for the bargain-basement price of a seventh-round draft pick.

And finally, the Broncos used the 12th pick of the NFL Draft to nab Bo Nix from Oregon. He was the sixth QB off the board in what was a record-setting draft for the position. To add to the Denver intrigue, Nix was Stidham’s successor at Auburn before the quarterback left the Tigers and transferred cross country to Oregon. There, his college career blossomed.

Stidham is the old guy of the group. He’s 27. So he has the benefit of experience in dealing with quarterback competitions.

“I’ve dealt with this before when I was in New England with Mac Jones,” Stidham said, “It’s a business and I totally understand it. But at the same time, I’m here to compete. I’m not going to just sit down and let someone else walk in here and [just take the role]. I’m going to work my butt off to get the job. (And) I’m super excited about it.”

The Patriots selected Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 draft. Then after Tom Brady left, New England selected Jones in the first round of the 2021 draft. (The Patriots shipped Jones to the Jaguars earlier this off season).

"We try to get them as many reps as possible. We're rotating all of them right now."

HC Sean Payton details early stages of Broncos' QB competition » https://t.co/aVSJaCeQ3F pic.twitter.com/4Askg2cOdn

— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) May 23, 2024

The Broncos have an opening at starting quarterback, although technically, it’s Stidham. Denver benched Russell Wilson late last season, then released him in March. Stidham was QB1 for the final two games of the season.

This week, Broncos coach Sean Payton split up the quarterback reps in an unusual way. He gave each of his three quarterbacks a day of being No. 1. It appeared he did it in order of seniority.

Stidham was first team on Tuesday, followed by Zach Wilson, then Nix. Given that Denver used a top pick for Nix, he’s generally viewed as their quarterback of the future. But we’ve seen how such forecasts can quickly change. After all, Wilson arrived in the NFL as the No. 2 pick of the 2021 draft. The Jets thought they had their guy until they traded last year for Aaron Rodgers.

Payton told reporters that all three Broncos quarterbacks are doing well.

“Look, we go by what we see,” Payton said. “We try to get them as many reps as possible. We’re rotating all of them right now. … We’ll keep doing that right now.”