Broncos’ Fortune with Bo Nix Shines Amid Vikings’ QB Struggles
The Denver Broncos made the right call.
Who would have thought the Denver Broncos and Minnesota Vikings would develop a low-key rivalry during the 2024 offseason? Earlier this year, Vikings fans were irked when Sean Payton hinted at making people believe the Broncos were looking to trade up (likely for JJ McCarthy) in the 2024 NFL Draft. This gave the impression that Payton was mocking the Vikings for picking McCarthy, but that wasn’t his intention.
Sean Payton’s target was Bo Nix, plain and simple. He wanted the media to think the Broncos were aggressively trying to move up for their preferred choice, and many people bought into that narrative. Meanwhile, the Vikings attempted to trade up for Drake Maye but were unsuccessful.
Recently, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN reported that McCarthy will be the Vikings’ QB2 indefinitely:
“The Vikings believe that there is untapped potential here, that there is a lot of ability. He’s never had a supporting cast quite like this. So, they believe he can not only start games, but potentially thrive if everything goes well. So, their plan would be to sit J.J. McCarthy to an unknown amount of games, whether it’s a full season, however many games that they believe he can learn a high-volume passing system behind the scenes at least for a little bit would be good for him.”
– Jeremy Fowler (via SportsCenter)
The Vikings invested significantly in Sam Darnold ($10 million), so it makes sense to start him this year. However, this pre-training camp report should boost the confidence of the Broncos and their fans regarding the Bo Nix selection.
Though the Broncos haven’t officially named Nix the starter, reports from OTAs have been extremely positive. Head coach Sean Payton has frequently mentioned that Nix has lived up to their pre-draft expectations. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi also noted that Nix doesn’t look like a rookie.
Bo Nix is older and more experienced than JJ McCarthy, having had more opportunities to learn and grow. While McCarthy’s future is still bright, the Broncos appear fortunate to have secured Nix with the 12th overall pick.
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