ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos believe they've found the answer at the game's most important position.
Denver will aim for continued improvement as the team sets its sights higher for 2025 and beyond. The Broncos will continue to build up the team through free agency and the draft, and they'll address their roster needs in the coming months.
And yet, the Broncos' leadership spoke Wednesday about its belief in rookie quarterback Bo Nix and how he can help push the team toward future success.
"I'm real encouraged, and I'm glad that he's with us and that it worked out the way it did," Head Coach Sean Payton said Wednesday. "… I think it's all in front of him. And I said this before, I think we found that player that can lead us and be what we need, relative to having the success we're used to having. I think we found it."
General Manager George Paton agreed with Payton's assessment, saying every team is "searching for that … rookie quarterback that has franchise skills" to lead an organization.
"We're fortunate," Paton said. "We think we have our guy in Bo."
Payton said there were "a lot of things to be encouraged about" in Nix's rookie season, including his athleticism, decision-making, accuracy and ability to avoid sacks. As he moves forward, Payton noted third down and handling defensive pressure as areas for continued to improvement.
Nix, though, seems up for the challenge. Payton said he met with the young quarterback for 30 minutes this week, and Nix has remained around Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit. The dedication is no surprise to the Broncos' football leadership, which has been impressed by Nix since he arrived in Denver.
"Bo was a pro the minute he walked in the building for rookie minicamp," Paton said. "You saw the poise throughout the season, poise beyond his years. … Just the leadership. He was a captain as a rookie, and that's tough. Man, the team embraced him. You just look at that — the intangible piece — and then you look at the talent and what he did on the field. A lot of the games looked like they did at Oregon: very accurate, can process, makes quick decisions. He doesn't put the ball in harm's way too often. Third [fewest] sacks. We talked about that all through the draft process. You saw the arm. He's got really good arm talent. I think the thing that you search for through the draft process is he never flinched. We'd be behind in games, [and] we always came back. We didn't always win them. We're always looking for that 'it' factor. You go to Kansas City, that tough environment, he brings us back in field-goal range. The Raiders. You could name a bunch of games. Cincinnati. That's a tough place to play.
"Bo, man, he raised the level of everyone around him. I feel like he has that 'it' factor. Things he needs to work on, the coaches will get with him. He knows he has a lot to work on to get to where he wants to be. That's his mindset."
Owner & CEO Greg Penner highlighted several of those same moments — including Nix's performances in Kansas City and Cincinnati — as highlights from Nix's first season leading the Broncos. And while Penner said there wasn't any one moment where Nix proved his ability to lead the franchise, he built his resume over the course of the season.
"I was incredibly impressed with Bo, both on and off the field," Penner said. "It never seemed like any moment was too big for him. We had some big moments this year. He battled throughout games. [I] never saw him give up or let up, even when things weren't going our way. I think he's got all the physical traits that you need to be a great quarterback. Mentally, he's sharp. The players respond to him. His teammates love him. In terms of the offseason, he's an incredibly hard worker and loves studying tape, loves being in the gym. I think that will serve him well this offseason as he builds for the future, and I know he's going to be better next year."
There's plenty of work still to be done. But with Nix in the fold, the Broncos believe they've found one of the most critical pieces.
"His aspirations for himself and for his team have to be higher than anyone else's," Payton said, "and I think that's the case."
