The Denver Broncos fiddled around with the quarterback position for years, until finally getting serious and drafting Bo Nix with the 12th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. In the years prior, the Broncos tried and failed with a slew of different options.
Cutting Russell Wilson was the first step in figuring out the most important position in sports, and through two seasons, it really could not be more clear that Nix is the guy for this team going forward. Well, even after two insanely successful seasons, some still do not seem to be fully bought in on Nix.
Everyone is allowed to think what they want, but Nix has done nothing but prove himself thus far, and some of the latest quarterback rankings prove it.
Denver Broncos QB Bo Nix has helped AFC West become rich in QB talent
In NFL.com, Nick Shook ranked all eight divisions by purely quarterback talent for 2026, and the AFC West came in with a stellar No. 2 ranking, trailing only the NFC West. Here's what he had to say about Nix and the Broncos:
"I'll admit my evaluation of Bo Nix might have been a little too tempered in 2025, especially when considering how effective Denver's offense proved to be late in the season. Two years into his pro career, Nix has significantly exceeded expectations and has a point to prove entering 2026 after an ankle injury robbed him of a chance to compete for the AFC title. I'm eager to see how it plays out, especially with Jaylen Waddle joining the receiving corps.
"
Shook seems to admit that he was a bit wrong on Nix, which is great! He also makes another great point here that, despite exceeding expectations in both seasons, he does have something to prove in 2026.
Nix's passing production, while good, hasn't really been more than that. Where Nix has emerged as one of the best in the league is in the more supplementary parts of his game, like avoiding sacks, making plays with his legs, and coming through in the clutch.
But with Jaylen Waddle now in the picture, that passing production simply has to improve - it's important to note, though, that Nix really wasn't done many favors by his pass-catchers in 2024 or 2025. According to Pro Football Reference, the Broncos registered 32 drops in 2024 and 43 in 2025.
Through two seasons, that's a total of 75 drops, which feels like an impossible number. With Waddle now in the picture, every pass-catcher's job on offense should get a bit easier in 2026.
Shook's ranking of the AFC West at No. 2 also does prove how tough it'll be for the Broncos to repeat as division champions in 2026. While Justin Herbert and Patrick Mahomes are far from perfect, both are quite good and aren't necessarily going to be walked all over.
Even with the Broncos having won 24 regular season games the past two seasons, which includes an 8-4 divisional record, this team still has to take care of business in 2026, as it's a totally new season. As 2026 gets going, we may end up trending toward a spot where those Nix doubters who are still out there begin to come around a bit more.
I guess being late to the party is better than not going at all!
Add us as a preferred source on Google