The Denver Broncos are pleased with how quarterback Bo Nix is progressing after his second right ankle surgery in April ahead of minicamp.
The Denver Broncos need quarterback Bo Nix to be healthy if the team wants to have another successful season that includes a deep playoff run and of course, a Super Bowl championship.
The Broncos came up just short of that goal when it lost to the New England Patriots in a snowy American Football Conference Championship that saw Denver lose 10-7 without its starting QB.
Nix suffered a broken right ankle in the waning minutes of the AFC divisional round against the Buffalo Bills, which ultimately killed all of Denver’s momentum ahead of the most important game of the season. Not that the team didn’t believe in backup QB Jarrett Stidham, but he hadn’t played a game in two years and definitely didn’t know the offense as well as Nix.
Stidham produced just one touchdown and threw an interception, completing 17 of 31 passes for 133 yards. There was very little offense on both sides, but many can’t help but think that if Nix was healthy, Denver advances to the Super Bowl against the Seattle Seahawks.
Nix underwent surgery three days after the Bills game, but that wasn’t his only ankle surgery. Nix underwent another surgery, a clean-up procedure, in April to ensure that he’s healing properly and is on schedule. Head coach Sean Payton has stated that Nix is progressing well.
“I don’t think you’ll see that hindered at all,” Coach Payton said of Nix’s mobility.
“By all accounts, especially coach Sean Payton's, Nix has progressed on schedule from a second surgical procedure,” ESPN’s Jeff Legwold wrote Monday. “This one was in April, on the right ankle Nix fractured in the closing minutes of the playoff win against the Buffalo Bills.”
Because of the second surgery, the Broncos were careful with Nix and didn’t have him doing much during OTAs.
“And Nix has begun throwing in some limited drills before OTA practices over the past two weeks. This week's minicamp is expected to be Nix's first in full-view work in team drills of the offseason. Payton has said Nix will be ‘full go’ when training camp opens in late July, so the minicamp sessions will be the last benchmark of the team's offseason work for Nix to meet.”
It’s important that Nix is smart during these drills and doesn’t overwork himself this early. The main goal is for him to be ready by Week 1, so pushing him right now would be a bad idea. Nix worked very hard last season, especially in the second half of the year – he led all QBs in passing attempts and rushed a ton, although not as much as his rookie season.
It will be interesting to see how Nix operates in 2026 and if he runs the ball as much as he has over the past two seasons.
