Broncos will start QB Jarrett Stidham in first preseason game

The Denver Broncos will start quarterback Jarrett Stidham in their preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts, coach Sean Payton announced after Friday’s practice.

Denver will play most starters in Indianapolis, health permitting . The Colts will also play their starters for a “ series or two ” on Sunday, including quarterback Anthony Richardson.

“We’ll pay attention to really more of the plays than quarters,” Payton said. “The first phase will be somewhere between 15 and 20 [snaps] ideally. Stidham will start in phase one, [Bo] Nix will be in phase two, and then Zach [Wilson] will be in phase three. Nix might get the final series in phase [one] — we just have to see where we’re at rep wise.”

Payton also said Nix will start in Week 2 of preseason.

Stidham, 28, started Denver’s final two games of the 2023 season after Payton benched Russell Wilson (a precursor to Wilson being released this spring ). Stidham completed 60.6% of his passes for 496 yards with two touchdowns and one interception as the Broncos went 1-1 to close out the 2023 season.

Stidham returned as the incumbent this year and Denver added two more quarterbacks to the mix by trading for Zach Wilson and then using a first-round draft pick to select Bo Nix in April. All three QBs went into training camp competing for the QB1 role, but Stidham and Nix seem to be the true contenders to win the job.

Stidham will get the first live game reps on Sunday when the Broncos go on the road to face the Colts. Next week, Denver will host the Green Bay Packers at Empower Field at Mile High in their second preseason game.