As 2024 Training Camp powered by Ford approaches, we're taking a closer look at all three quarterbacks on the Broncos' roster. Jarrett Stidham, Zach Wilson and Bo Nix are set to compete for Denver's starting job, and each player spoke with DenverBroncos.com in mid-June.
We begin the series with Stidham, who returns to Denver for his second season with the Broncos.
ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — As Jarrett Stidham prepares for his fifth NFL season, he firmly believes his best football is still ahead of him.
A 2019 fourth-round pick, Stidham enters the Broncos' quarterback competition with four career starts — and a conviction that he has yet to reach the level at which he's capable of playing.
Stidham led the Broncos to a 1-1 record in January as he closed the 2023 season by completing 60.6 percent of his passes for 496 yards, two touchdowns, an interception and an 87.7 quarterback rating. He previously completed 63.9 percent of his passes for 656 yards, four touchdowns, three interceptions and an 89.2 quarterback rating in two starts with the Raiders to end the 2022 season.
As training camp approaches, though, Stidham believes he still has more to give.
"I feel like I'm still not even close to my full potential," Stidham told DenverBroncos.com in mid-June. "It's one of those things [where] getting out there the last two weeks was great, and I felt like I was just kind of starting to get back in the rhythm of things."
Head Coach Sean Payton has also expressed that belief, saying in March that the Broncos "still feel real positive" about Stidham and that he didn't believe Stidham had reached his ceiling.
"I'm anxious to see where that spot is that we say, 'All right, that's it,'" Payton said on March 25. "I don't think we've seen it yet."
As the Broncos wrapped their offseason program, Payton said Stidham was "doing well" and is "much further along" in the offense than he was at that point in 2023.
"I'd say he's looked real sharp during this offseason program," Payton said on June 11. "[He is] real decisive. I think the leadership he is able to provide there [is valuable], and there's good competition."
Stidham said an offseason of work in Payton's offense helped him regain the rhythm that can be difficult to keep from the sideline, and he's excited for the opportunity to compete with Zach Wilson and Bo Nix for the starting role.
"This spring has been great," Stidham said. "… I'm excited for the opportunity. Being back for my second year in the offense and being here in Denver, that's all I can ask for is a chance to compete. [My focus is to] control what I can control and kind of let the chips fall where they may."
While Stidham's aim is to run out on the Lumen Field turf in Seattle as the Broncos' Week 1 starter, his focus is much more granular as training camp approaches.
"Obviously that's my goal, but … I just keep it day-to-day," Stidham said. "What am I asked to do each and every day? What's the best play I can make on each and every play? What am I asked to do on each and every play? That's literally all I think about. I don't get too far ahead or think about things that have happened. I just kind of stay grounded in that day."
As Stidham left Broncos Park Powered by CommonSpirit following the end of the offseason program, he said he was pleased with the work he's put in — and that he'll be ready for the competition to continue when he returns for training camp.
"We're all battling it out," Stidham said. "Competition is great. That's how it should be."
