Sean Payton is entering year two as head coach of the Denver Broncos.
For better or worse, with quarterback Russell Wilson long gone, Payton is finally beginning to form his true vision for the Broncos.
As one of the NFL’s most polarizing coaches, Payton is a figure who you either love or hate. There is very little room for any in-between.
Having said that, even his most harsh critics must admit that he’s one hell of a football coach.
The biggest question in Denver is who will be taking snaps under center come Week 1?
Denver used the #12 overall pick in April’s draft to select Oregon quarterback Bo Nix.
While some aren’t overly sold on Nix being able to translate to the NFL, Payton was won over by him and reportedly views Bo as being Drew Brees 2.0.
The Broncos also have a pair of veteran quarterbacks on the roster – Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson.
While calling Wilson a “veteran” might be debatable to some, he does have significant game experience underneath his belt.
Denver acquired Wilson from the New York Jets for a bag of footballs earlier this offseason.
The former second-overall pick is viewed as one of the biggest draft busts in recent memory. However, at only 24-years-old, Wilson’s story is far from written.
As a matter of fact, Wilson reportedly has a legitimate chance to win the starting quarterback job.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler recently reported that Wilson is undoubtedly “in the mix” for the starting spot and has impressed Payton and company since arriving from New Jersey.
“We just felt like, man, we’d love to work with this guy. It wasn’t too long ago; we remember grading him and we felt the investment was worth it relative to his skillset & his talent … We spent the better part of a month and a half working on that trade,” Payton said after the trade was official.
While Wilson’s arrival has certainly shaken up the competition, Payton has also been very complimentary of Nix.
He has stated numerous times that he feels Nix is way ahead of the typical rookie curve.
That shouldn’t necessarily come as too big of a surprise being that Nix is 24-years-old (the same age as Wilson) and was the most experience quarterback in the entire draft.
Nix has always been praised for his exceptionally high football-IQ, so it’s safe to assume he’s been catching on to Payton’s notoriously complicated offense quicker than most.
Having said that, Payton’s made it clear that he’s in no rush to name a starter and will let the entire evaluation process play itself out.
“I would say I have an end date – that would be the week before the first game – but I don’t have a set date [to name the starter],” Payton said.
“I think most importantly is [making sure it’s] the right decision.”
“I still think we always talk about the locker room and the players in the locker room,” Payton added. “I think when we get into training camp and we get into the preseason games, I think oftentimes the decisions take care of themselves, but the object is to win.
“In our league, it’s year to year … Man, we’re competing to win this year, and we’re going to make the right decision relative to who gives us that opportunity.”
In other words, don’t count out Stidham.
The 27-year-old journeyman has been starving for a chance to prove himself in the league. He hasn’t yet had a true opportunity to do so, but Payton and the Broncos provide him his best chance yet.
What are your thoughts on the report that Wilson has a legitimate chance to winning the starting job? … Are you buying it?
How would you grade all three quarterbacks are we near training camp?
At the end of the day, who will be under center come Week 1???