For the last two seasons, the Denver Broncos have had the same starting and backup quarterbacks. Backup quarterback Jarrett Stidham has been with Denver since the 2023 season, even during the final year of the Russell Wilson era.
Bo Nix has been the Broncos starter since 2024, and the duo of Nix and Stidham has been one that has sustained a lot of success together. While Stidham has barely seen the field for Denver overall, his value to the quarterback room is obvious, as the Broncos re-signed him again after his inital deal was up following the 2024 campaign.
Heading into 2026, the Broncos could again be primed to have Nix as QB1 and Stidham as QB2, which would be the third year in a row of this setup and again would remain as one of the better rooms in the league, but some recent rankings to not reflect that, for some reason.
Denver Broncos quarterbacks given a wildly low ranking for the 2026 NFL Season
Christopher Kline in FanSided.com ranked the Broncos quarterback room 20th in the NFL for 2026. Yes, 20th.
"Denver's defense led the charge to a No. 1 seed in the AFC last season, but Bo Nix and the offense deserve credit. Nix didn't quite build on the momentum he created as a rookie, but the seasoned sophomore is still light on his feet and crisp in his decision-making. There is a noticeable disconnect growing between Nix and Sean Payton, which is cause for concern, but it's no longer prudent to question Nix's place in the league.
Jarrett Stidham couldn't step into the playoffs cold and lead Denver to the Super Bowl, but he's still better than your average backup."
I am not necessarily sure it's entirely accurate to suggest that there is a 'disconnect' between Nix and Sean Payton, but that relationship might actually not be as important as Nix with Davis Webb in 2026, who is going to call the plays.
Kline is right on the nose in saying that Nix is light on his feet and a crisp decision-maker, and he's also right in saying that Stidham is an above-average backup, but the 20th ranking is just a bit head-scratching. Denver's quarterback room is ranked below teams like the New York Giants, a team with Jaxson Dart and Jameis Winston in the room, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who have Baker Mayfield and Jake Browning in the room.
This ranking does feel marvelously low, as Nix helped lead Denver to 14 wins in 2025 and does own a 24-10 regular season record in the NFL thus far. He turned into one of the clutchest quarterbacks in the NFL and is clearly every bit of a franchise passer.
The quarterback room in Denver is a lot closer to 10th than it is to 20th. Both Nix and Stidham are established in their current roles, and this room is also still on the younger side as well. With the Broncos having swung a deal for Jaylen Waddle, the 2026 season may be when we finally see just how prolific this passing attack can be, and perhaps then the Broncos quarterbacks will be respected more.