The Denver Broncos might have one of the greatest defenses of all time in 2025. That’s not hyperbole. They have the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year in cornerback Patrick Surtain II and the likely next NFL Defensive Player of the Year in edge rusher Nik Bonitto. The Broncos also have a real chance of breaking the NFL’s single season record for team sacks set by the 1984 Chicago Bears.
Winners of 7 consecutive games, the Broncos are now 8-2 with both of their losses coming in the last second of games in the first 3 weeks of the regular season.
The reason the Broncos aren’t undefeated falls almost squarely on the shoulders of second year quarterback Bo Nix, who has seen his sophomore campaign picked apart in the national media.
The Athletic’s Mike Sando put Nix in the category of “Too early to say, but there’s been good with the bad” in his NFL QB tiers alongside Chicago Bears quarterback Caleb Williams and New York Giants quarterback Jaxson Dart.
Sando also points out that the Broncos might have a limited ceiling with Nix under center.
“The Broncos have won seven consecutive games with a mixture of defense and fourth-quarter heroics from Nix and the offense,” Sando wrote on Thursday, November 13.”It’s an unsustainable formula that is temporarily tabling more consequential discussions regarding Nix’s trajectory. The quarterback’s year-over-year efficiency has declined by almost every measure except for sack rate, which was already low. It’s looking like next season will be defining for Nix’s trajectory with the Broncos.”
Nix Has Trouble Connecting on Deep Throws
Nix’s play at the end of his rookie year in 2024 encouraged the Broncos and their fans he could take the momentum of leading the team to the playoffs for the first time in 9 years and spin it forward to 2025. That just hasn’t happened.
While Nix has been spectacular at times — mostly late in games — he’s been a frustrating player to watch the rest of the time.
The biggest problem, if we’re going to single one thing out, has been deep, downfield throws. Nix seems to be lacking the accuracy we’ve seen from other 2024 first round picks like New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels.
That’s too bad, because his struggles start to reflect poorly on what’s probably an underrated group of wide receivers led by Courtland Sutton and with young talent like second year wide receiver Troy Franklin and rookie Pat Bryant trailing not far behind.
Big Money at Stake for Broncos, Nix in 2026
Nix will be playing for big money in 2026, if he isn’t already. That’s when he’s eligible for his first big-time contract extension. Depending on how he plays over the rest of the year and next year, there could be a wild variation to what that amount ends up being.
Right now, Nix would probably be in line for a deal that would probably pay him in the range of $50 million to $60 million per year.
If he continues his current path of regression, it’s not hard to see the Broncos lowballing him along the lines of $30 million to $40 million per year, if not just outright parting ways with him after 2027.
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