Broncos To Start QB Jarrett Stidham In Preseason Opener, QB Bo Nix In Second Preseason Game

According to Chris Tomasson, Broncos HC Sean Payton announced they are starting QB Jarrett Stidham in their preseason opener on Sunday.

Tomasson adds Payton named first-round QB Bo Nix as the starting QB for their second preseason game against the Packers.

Stidham, 28, is a former fourth-round pick of the Patriots back in 2019. He’s in the fourth year of his four-year, $3,156,112 rookie contract that included a $636,112 signing bonus.

Stidham was traded to the Raiders in 2022 and finished out the season in Las Vegas. He signed a two-year, $10 million contract with the Broncos before the 2023 season.

In 2023, Stidham appeared in three games for the Broncos and completed 60.6 percent of his passes for 496 yards, two touchdowns and an interception.

Nix, 24, was a three-year starter at Auburn before transferring to Oregon and starting his final two years. He holds the NCAA record for most career starts at 61 and was named first-team All-PAC 12 in 2023. The Broncos used the No. 12 pick in the 2024 draft on Nix.

The No. 12 overall pick is projected to sign a four-year, $18,229,833 contract that includes a $10,078,060 signing bonus and will carry a $3,314,515 cap figure for the 2024 season. The contract includes a fifth-year option for the team to pick up in 2028. 

NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein compares him to former Cowboys QB Tony Romo.

During his five-year college career, Nix completed 66.4 percent of his pass attempts for 15,352 yards, 113 touchdowns, and 26 interceptions. He added 405 carries for 1,613 yards (4.0 YPC) and 38 touchdowns, plus two catches, 38 yards, and a touchdown.