Denver Broncos head coach Sean Payton loves to troll everyone with his initial depth chart releases. You can't put too much stock into what you see, because when an initial depth chart gets put out by the team, it's only because it has to be. And because it has to be, Payton is the type of coach who likes to have a little fun with it.
One thing you can typically bank on with initial depth chart releases is rookies being buried at the bottom, which is obviously the case for the Denver Broncos. That includes first-round pick Bo Nix, who is listed as the third-string quarterback on the initial depth chart despite the fact that he has taken the lion's share of first-team reps at training camp.
Broncos depth chart lists Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson over Bo Nix
Broncos are listing Jarrett Stidham as their starting quarterback on the first depth chart of the season. Rookie first-round pick Bo Nix is listed as third string.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) August 6, 2024
Regardless of what metric you're using, Bo Nix has been the QB1 throughout the course of training camp. Nix has been the best at practice, and he's taken more first-team reps than any of the other quarterbacks. In fact, since the pads have come on, Zach Wilson hasn't even taken any of the first-team reps at quarterback after he was rotating into the mix during OTAs and minicamp.
This initial depth chart means absolutely nothing in so many ways. There are other things you may want to pay attention to, like the fact that the Broncos have linebackers Jonas Griffith and Cody Barton listed as "Jonas Griffith OR Cody Barton" with the first-team defense. The same can be said for Damarri Mathis and Riley Moss at the cornerback position.
Those are things to read into a little bit because those guys are competing for starting positions and the team isn't letting on who might be leading in that competition by listing them as co-starters.
But the idea that Bo Nix is third in the pecking order at quarterback right now is hysterical. Actions speak louder than words, right?
The Broncos haven't given any indication at any point this offseason that Bo Nix is the third quarterback on the depth chart. Nix has been rotating in with the starting offense since OTAs. The Broncos did put Nix with the third-team offense on Jarrett Stidham's latest padded practice working with the starters.
Any Broncos fans who may be worried about this depth chart should take a deep breath. This is common practice for all NFL teams and it's something Sean Payton has openly talked about having fun with in the past. Bo Nix is certainly not going to be the third quarterback on the depth chart at the start of the regular season.