Financial Side Of Nix’s Struggles Comes With Major Ramifications

We’ve all seen, heard and read about the struggles of Denver Broncos quarterback Bo Nix for the last few weeks, and most of the football details have been hashed over and analyzed to death. But there’s another side of what’s going on with Nix that hasn’t been talked about much, which is that it changes Denver’s financial picture completely. 

Thhe Broncos spent most of last season preparing for end of Nix’s rookie contract, which normally would come with a massive extension after this season. Before Nix’s play on the field went south, rhe AAV for that extension was expected to land in the $50-60 million a year, with some experts believing it could reach $70 million. According to Jeff Legwold of ESPN, 13 quarterbacks currently have deals that pay at least $50 million a year

The most likely scenario if Nix continues to struggle is that the Broncos would exercise hsis fifth year option next spring. The Houston Texans and Carolina Panthers did that with quarterbacks C.J. Stroud and Bryce Young, respectively, and according to Legwold, Nix would probably get just over $25 million, which would reflect his status as a player picked out of the top ten in the draft and closer to the middle of the first round. 

The draft board would then come into play, according to Legwold. Per ESPN draft expert Mel Kiper, there are seven passers in the top 25 projected picks for next year, and Legwold said it’s “unclear” if GM George Paton and coach Sean Payton would want to look at possibilities there. 

The Broncos also have a long list of free agents next year, according to the writer, including cornerbacks Riley Moss and Ja’Quan McMillian, safety Brandon Jones, guard Ben Powers, and wide receiver/kick returner Marvin Mims Jr.

Denver is hoping the schedule will help here. The Broncos have been running a gauntlet in the early going, and the thought process going in was that the Arizona Cardinals might provide an opportunity for Nix to reset and get back on track. But the Cardinals just upset the Los Angeles Rams, who probably also had similar thought when it came to taking Arizona seriously, and the result was a shocking 18-16 loss. 

Nix’s ankle will also play a pivotal role in all this. If the Broncos quarterback is still in the middle of the healing process, which some of the medical reports would certainly indicate, there’s a chance that the quarterback’s performance slowly improves over the course of the season.