NFL Insider: Broncos QB Bo Nix Has ‘Least Upside’ of 2024 First Rounders

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Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix.

Of the record 6 quarterbacks taken in the 2024 NFL draft, Bo Nix went last, to the Denver Broncos at No. 12 overall.

It’s going to take more than just one stellar season for Nix to shake the expectations that come with that, apparently.

Yahoo Sports NFL reporter Nate Tice went on “The Bill Simmons Show” ahead of the start of training camp and damned Nix with faint praise headed into his second season, essentially laying out a reason why Nix has way less upside than the other 5 quarterbacks taken ahead of him.

That’s despite Nix leading the Broncos to the playoffs for the first time since 2015 as a rookie. Despite Nix playing as good as any NFL quarterback down the stretch in the regular season.

“Do you feel like there’s any meat left on the bone with Bo Nix, or did what we see last year … is that just basically what he is?” Simmons asked.

“It’s kinda how I pictured him,” said Tice, a former University of Wisconsin quarterback and the son of former NFL head coach Mike Tice. “He’s a great athlete, and he’s got an absolute rocket of an arm … (head coach) Sean Patyon did a hell of a job to kind o figure out the offense with him. But that’s the thing is he built (the offense) for his rookie quarterback … I don’t think there’s a lot more because he’s older. And this is just how he played in college, too.”

Nix, Daniels Separated From Pack in 2024

The class of 2024 first round quarterbacks tied the 1983 draft class with their record 6 picks — 3 of them were opening day starters for their teams with Chicago’s Caleb Williams (No. 1), Washington’s Jayden Daniels (No. 2) and Nix.

New England’s Drake Maye (No. 3) took over as starter early in the year while Atlanta’s Michael Penix (No. 8) took over as starter for Kirk Cousins late in the year.

Only Minnesota’s J.J. McCarthy (No. 10) didn’t start a game as he sat out the entire season after knee surgery — the first time a quarterback picked in the first round has sat out their entire rookie season because of an injury.

Only Daniels and Nix looked truly elite as rookies, with Daniels bringing home NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year honors and Nix finishing as runner up.

Broncos Haven’t Exactly Built Offense Around Nix

While the Commanders have gone out of their way to build their offense around Daniels, the Broncos did the Temu version of that with Nix.

The Commanders and Broncos both really needed more wide receivers. The Commanders trade for NFL All-Pro Deebo Samuel. The Broncos drafted Pat Bryant in the third round.

Nix could have used any sort of high level offensive talent around him with the Broncos’ first round pick — just like Daniels — but Denver chose a defensive back with Jahdae Barron. The Commanders, meanwhile, went with what looks like a plug and play starter on the offensive line with Oregon’s Josh Conerly Jr.

One thing the Broncos did do to help Nix? They got him a high volume running back with UCF’s RJ Harvey in the second round (No. 60 overall).