With Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson and first-round pick Bo Nix, three Denver Broncos quarterbacks are competing for the role of starter. The decision could come late – very late.

The Denver Broncos’ offseason workouts didn’t provide any clarity. Quarterbacks Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson and Bo Nix participated in the workouts, made decent impressions, but no one really stood out.

“It went the way I wanted it to go,” Broncos head coach Sean Payton said. “It went about how we expected it to go. There are a lot of good things we worked on and a lot of things that still need to be corrected.”

The main focus in the offseason measures was to familiarize the quarterbacks with the playbook and teach them the fundamentals so that later in training camp they have largely completed the acclimation process.

The 27-year-old Stidham has a bit of an advantage over his two competitors because he’s already worked in Payton’s system for a season. The 2019 fourth-round pick, who spent a season with the New England Patriots learning from NFL legend Tom Brady, signed a two-year, USD 10 million contract with the Broncos in March 2023.

He is not one of the big names in the NFL, but has already followed in big footsteps twice. He played two games as a starter for the Las Vegas Raiders in 2023 after Derek Carr was cut. The scenario repeated itself with the Broncos when Russell Wilson was demoted to the sidelines. Now he has a great chance to start a season as a starter for the first time.

Bo Nix should be the face of the future

On the other hand, it seems only a matter of time before Bo Nix, who was selected as the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, takes the reins. Due to his extensive college experience, the 24-year-old could be given the trust in the near future.

“He’s further along than most,” Payton said. “We’re talking about a player who has played 61 games. He’s experienced a lot and doesn’t normally make the same mistake twice. There’s a maturity level. I think when you draft a guy that’s a little bit older, you hope the maturity comes with it. He certainly proved that. “

And then there’s Zach Wilson, who was picked second overall by the New York Jets in the 2021 NFL Draft. But the 24-year-old never really worked out in the Big Apple, throwing more interceptions (25) than touchdown passes (23) in three seasons and completing just 56.6 percent of his passes.

On the other hand, Wilson wouldn’t be the first passer to develop his talent in only his second NFL stop.

Quarterback coach hopes for harmony

So the competition is tight. Quarterbacks coach Davis Webb is aware of the risks and told “ESPN”: “That kind of competition can get a little dicey sometimes. But we made sure right away that’s not going to happen here. We’re all going to cheer each other on, we want the best for each other. And what the coaches decide is what they decide.”

Is that just wishful thinking? Webb seems convinced by his words: “No one wants to work in a room where there’s nastiness. Communication is the power of any successful relationship. We try to practice that every day.”

But who will come out on top in the end?

Wide receiver Courtland Sutton, who is expected to catch the future quarterback’s passes, is relaxed: “Whoever comes out at the end will give us the best chance to win.” However, he believes the rookie has the advantage: “I know the politics of the game, I know everyone is hoping Nix will be the guy.”

But Sean Payton will not be rushed. When asked by when he will make the decision, he replied: “I have a deadline. That would be the week before the first game. But I don’t have a fixed date.”

So it will probably be a long time before there is clarity in Denver.