Will Denver Broncos backup QB job come down to final preseason game?

The Denver Broncos may have settled who their starting quarterback for the 2024 season will be, but the question of who the backup will be seems quite open.

On Wednesday, Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton told reporters that he was naming 2024 first-round pick Bo Nix as the starter. But he also indicated gave room for the possibility that Jarrett Stidham as the backup isn’t necessarily set in stone.

Payton hinted that he was looking at potentially giving Zach Wilson a chance with the No. 2 offense in the team’s final preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.He also mentioned he was impressed with Wilson’s red zone work in practice Wednesday, and continued to praise the young signal-caller.

Steady Stidham?

Many assumed that if Nix was named the starter for the Broncos, Sitdham would be the backup because of his command of Sean Payton’s offense in his second year in the system. Stidham has mostly played well in preseason, notwithstanding two interceptions that weren’t really his fault.

But Wilson’s undeniable physical talent and improving grasp of the system have helped him make it a conversation.

There’s a good chance the Broncos keep all three quarterbacks this year. The team has been impressed with Wilson’s improvement all offseason, and a 24-year-old with his arm talent and starting experience in the NFL doesn’t become available all that often.

Wilson’s struggles as a starter have been well-documented, but his placement with a teacher on Payton’s level is exactly what he needs to revive his career. It shouldn’t shock anyone to see him overtake Stidham as the Broncos QB 2 by the start of the regular season.