Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix is most definitely a quarterback that not everyone agrees on. The 'truthers' believe that Nix is every bit of a franchise quarterback, but has been bogged down a bit by below-average playmakers in his two years in the league.
This is, in my view, the most accurate opinion. The doubters, though, tend to believe that Nix largely 'carried' by an elite coach and defense. Through two seasons, the proof is in the pudding. Nix has helped lead the Broncos to 24 regular season wins, and likely would have helped Denver get into the Super Bowl had he not broken his ankle in the 2025 playoffs.
With wide receiver Jaylen Waddle in the mix, and a boost at running back and tight end also happening this offseason, Nix is suddenly surrounded by the best supporting cast of his young NFL career, which could unlock a new, elevated level to Nix's game. Recent quarterback rankings are also mostly in line with this.
CBS Sports rankings Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix in tier of 'Borderline Stars' for 2026
Bryan DeArdo ranked all starting quarterbacks in the league for 2026 in tiers, and Nix appeared in his "Tier 2: Borderline Stars" tier:
"While last season was somewhat underwhelming from a production standpoint, Nix was nonetheless on the precipice of stardom until his ankle injury prevented him and the Broncos from reaching the Super Bowl. Nix leads the pack of promising young quarterbacks that are poised to take over the league at some point down the road. "
If we cracked open his tiers and ranked the quarterbacks he has listed in order, this is how the ranking would look:
Tier 1: Transcendent Talents
1. Matthew Stafford
2. Patrick Mahomes
3. Josh Allen
4. Lamar Jackson
5. Joe Burrow
Tier 2: Borderline Stars
6. Jalen Hurts
7. Sam Darnold
8. Caleb Williams
9. Bo Nix
10. Jayden Daniels
11. Jared Goff
12. Brock Purdy
13. Jordan Love
14. Justin Herbert
15. Dak Prescott
16. Drake Maye
17. Trevor Lawrence
With his ranking, the actual numbered list may not matter as much, but Nix did catch his attention enough to be the 9th quarterback listed among the 32 starters, which feels notable. This is an accurate assessment, too, as DeArdo seems to make the distinction between the counting stats and the on-field impact.
Looking at the raw stats simply on a piece of paper or on a website doesn't always tell the full story. In 2025, according to Pro Football Reference, pass-catchers on the Broncos registered 43 drops. Courtland Sutton and Evan Engram tied for the most on the team, with eight drops.
In 2025, Nix averaged 10.1 yards per passing completion, so, some simple math would tell us that Nix lost 434 passing yards to drops in 2025. That is flat-out insane, and if Nix ended up dealing with, for example, 25 drops and not 43, his passing stats would look a lot better on paper.
Winning has followed Nix and the Broncos thus far, and his ability to come up in the clutch, his off-schedule ability, and dual-threat skillset creates one of the more complete quarterbacks in the NFL. The Broncos' front office also clearly saw the need for a playmaker upgrade, or else the Waddle trade would not have happened.
At this point, Nix is a franchise quarterback, and I am not sure there is a clear argument to say that he isn't. Ideally, he reaches new heights in 2026 with an elevated personnel situation, perhaps finally silencing the critics.
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