Bo Nix is talking like a quarterback who wants back on the field, but the Broncos aren’t ready to say whether he’ll actually take snaps in Friday’s preseason opener at Atlanta.
The third-year pro, who has been sidelined since breaking his ankle in Denver’s AFC Divisional Playoff win over the Buffalo Bills last January, sounded upbeat when asked about the possibility of returning this weekend.
“I’m excited,” Nix said, via Yahoo Sports. “I think preseason’s always a great time to get back out there and get your feet wet a little bit and see defenses in a live situation before the first [regular-season] game.”
Still, all signs point to Denver being careful. The game will be played on artificial turf at Mercedes Benz Stadium, and that alone could make the Broncos hesitate to rush him back before they have to.
Sean Payton wasn’t giving away much either. Asked about the quarterback plan for the preseason, the Broncos head coach kept it vague.
“We haven’t gone through the (quarterback) role yet,” Payton told reporters. “I’ll let you know when we go through the roles.”
If Nix does sit out Friday, Denver has another chance to put him in the lineup the following week. The Broncos host the Green Bay Packers in Week 2 of the preseason on Aug. 21, and that game will be played on natural grass at Empower Field at Mile High.
There’s also a new voice helping guide the offense this year. Former NFL quarterback Davis Webb is Denver’s new offensive coordinator, and one of his jobs is to help Nix improve his deep-ball accuracy. Nix threw for 3,931 yards and 25 touchdowns in 2025, but he also finished near the bottom of the league in completion percentage on throws that traveled 20-plus yards in the air.
For now, though, the early buzz out of camp has been positive. Denver defensive coordinator Vance Joseph said early in camp that he has liked what he has seen from Nix.
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