Broncos backup QB may have sealed trade fate with comments about Bo Nix

The Denver Broncos keeping three quarterbacks on the 53-man roster is anything but a foregone conclusion, and the possibility of the team only keeping two quarterbacks for the regular season remains exactly that until we see head coach Sean Payton actually keep all three.

After the Broncos' preseason finale against the Arizona Cardinals, it feels like the pendulum has swung dramatically in favor of Zach Wilson being the QB2 behind rookie Bo Nix, even though Jarrett Stidham has been in competition with Nix all offseason. Perhaps the Broncos have been doing their public campaigning for Wilson and showcasing him in the preseason to increase his trade value, but the comments those two guys made after the game against Arizona might give us a hint about their immediate futures with the team.

Both Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham were asked their thoughts on Bo Nix being named the starting quarterback since this is the first time we've heard from either of them after that news was broken early in the week. Stidham's comments are pretty revealing...

"First of all, obviously I was very disappointed. I know I’m a starting quarterback in this league. I have no doubts about that, and it just didn’t shake out my way. I know what kind of player I am, what kind of person I am. Like I said earlier, I’ll be ready to go if I need to be. Like I said, I have no doubts that I’m a starting-caliber quarterback in this league."

Broncos QB Jarrett Stidham (via team PR)

Now, contrast Stidham's comments about Nix being named the starter with what Zach Wilson had to say:

“I was excited for him. I don’t think it was a surprise too much, obviously. I think he’s had a great camp. I told him I’m excited for him for this opportunity. I really believe that they’re putting him in a good situation. I think [Head Coach] Sean [Payton] has done a phenomenal job and the guys that we get to hang out with, starting with [Quarterbacks Coach] Davis [Webb] and then [Offensive Coordinator] Joe [Lombardi] and [Senior Offensive Assistant] Pete [Carmichael] and then ‘Johnny Mo’ (Pass Game Coordinator John Morton), you know we have a great offensive staff. And then Bo just continued to keep getting better. So I’m excited to see what he can do, and I think he’s ready for it.”

Broncos QB Zach Wilson

Head coach Sean Payton stated after the game that he sees all three quarterbacks making the roster, but time will tell. Payton certainly has every reason to hold onto these guys, even with Stidham's comments about being disappointed and feeling like he's a starter right now.

The strategy and thinking here is very simple. Quarterbacks are the most valuable currency in today's NFL. There are a lot of people who question what kind of value someone like Jarrett Stidham would have right now in a trade, and to that I would point to Joshua Dobbs, who was traded twice last year. The Browns got a 5th-round pick for Dobbs and a 7th-rounder. The Cardinals then traded Dobbs and a 7th for a 6th.

There is going to be value for these guys so long as there are injuries happening at QB in the NFL, which is constant. There were 67 different starting quarterbacks for teams around the league last year. To think there's not a team that would value Stidham at some point this year is a little short-sighted.

And the Broncos have to be willing to hold onto these guys until they get appropriate value in return. They should not be dumping either one of these players and I don't think they will. If Sean Payton doesn't get a good trade value for Stidham, I think he's going to be just fine keeping him around. Then you can reevaluate things at the NFL trade deadline.

If the Broncos could get a 4th or 5th-round pick for Stidham, I think they would take that and run with it. If they don't get something that good, it might be based on the situation Stidham would be going to. You'd want to make sure you're setting him up in a good situation with an opportunity to either play or make a bunch of money.

It's shaping up to be a very interesting couple of days with roster cuts looming.