Sean Payton isn’t entertaining a quarterback change in Denver, even with the Broncos grinding through another uneven offensive stretch.
After Thursday night’s 17-14 overtime win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Broncos sit at 4-2, but the record has done a better job of masking problems than solving them. The offense has sputtered, and even with Payton taking over as the primary play-caller, the rhythm still hasn’t shown up the way many expected entering the 2026 NFL season.
So when Payton was asked going into Week 7 whether he might bench Bo Nix, he shut it down quickly.
“To answer your question, no,” Payton said, via Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk. “He’s going to become the byproduct of all the finer things that get improved.
The improved play from our offensive line, the more efficient we are relative to balance, running the football. That’s our jobs as coaches here.
We talked after the game about we’re excited to get that win, and yet at the same time find that improvement we need in all areas. So, it starts with all of us.”
That answer left little room for interpretation: Nix is staying in place.
And from a production standpoint, the Broncos haven’t exactly given Payton much reason to reach for another option. Against Seattle, Nix completed 17 of 27 passes for 107 yards with no touchdowns, while Denver’s only scores came on the ground, courtesy of JK Dobbins and RJ Harvey.
Through six games, Nix has 1,049 passing yards, 6 touchdowns and 3 interceptions. His 79.4 QB rating and 60.3 completion percentage are both tracking toward career lows for the third-year quarterback. That’s a stark contrast from his 2025 regular season line, when he threw for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.
The numbers also tell the story of a season without many big passing days. Nix has not gone over 300 yards in any game, and his high mark is 288 yards from Week 2 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.
For now, the Broncos’ other in-house option is Jarrett Stidham, who started the AFC title game loss in January after Nix was injured in the Divisional Round win. But unless something changes dramatically, Payton’s message is that the quarterback spot is not under review.
Denver may keep winning enough to stay afloat, but the way it’s winning isn’t built to last.
In Other News...
Broncos Defense Just Raised A Bigger Question About This Team
The Broncos left Seattle with a 17-14 win that looked far more like a defensive statement than a tidy offensive performance. Denver leaned on a unit that was active from start to finish, with Kris Abrams-Draine making a crucial interception, JaQuan McMillian turning in the kind of tackling and playmaking that keeps drives from getting comfortable, and the front line setting the tone under coordinator Vance Joseph.
Zach Allen and Nik Bonitto were central to the pressure plan, and the way Joseph deployed his pieces gave the Seahawks little room to settle in. The bigger question now is what this defense can become if it keeps winning games while the offense sorts itself out, because on this day the Broncos did not just survive on the strength of their defense, they leaned on it heavily enough to make you wonder how often that formula can hold. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Face A Jonathon Cooper Decision With Big Fallout Ahead
Jonathon Cooper has been around the Broncos throughout his time on the NFL commissioners exempt list, even if he has not been on the field. Sean Payton said Cooper completed the steps required by the league after his domestic violence-related arrests, and the veteran defender is now being cleared to rejoin Denver as it prepares for Arizona.
The next phase still carries real consequences, though. Coopers trial is set for March, and the time he spent on the exempt list will count toward any future NFL suspension, leaving the Broncos to balance his return with the uncertainty that remains hanging over the situation. [Read more 🡒]
Broncos Have A Backfield Problem They May Need To Solve Aggressively
The Broncos backfield has become one of the more obvious pressure points on a roster trying to push deeper into a championship window. Denvers running backs have struggled to give the offense much lift, and with the team still looking for ways to raise its ceiling, the idea of upgrading that spot has moved from a luxury to a real conversation.
One name that naturally comes up is Jonathan Taylor, especially if Indianapolis decides to start making major moves. A trade for a player of his caliber would not be cheap, and Denver would have to weigh the draft compensation against the kind of immediate impact he could bring. The bigger question may be whether the Broncos are willing to be aggressive enough to address the problem before it becomes a season-long limitation. [Read more 🡒]