Why Lucas Krull thinks the passes of Bo Nix are ‘electric’

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Bo Nix didn’t receive many pre-draft plaudits for his raw arm strength or velocity. The catch-all description of “arm talent” for such attributes issued by draft pundits tended to fall to other prospects in the first round — or even to seventh-rounder Joe Milton.

But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t have the ability to fire bullets — particularly toward the sideline within 20 yards of the line of scrimmage and down the middle. One such play came during the seven-on-seven red-zone period of practice Tuesday, when he hit tight end Lucas Krull down the left numbers for a touchdown.

“You got Cover-3,” Krull said. “Just working my route, working technique to get open, knowing in a Cover-3 look I have a good opportunity to make that play and get that ball.

“So, Bo read it out perfectly. [Nix] gave me a perfect ball, back shoulder, go up and get it.”

It was a play that elicited arguably the loudest roar from the fans gathered on the west hillside beyond the practice fields. And it’s the kind of pass you’re seeing more often as Bo Nix becomes more comfortable in the scheme.

And it’s that kind of pass that led Krull to describe Nix’s passes as “electric.”

“I think he’s the kind of guy, man, where he can — when he lets it go, it’s just, there’s always something with it, and, you know it’s going to be a ball that gives anyone an opportunity to make a play,” Krull said.

I asked Lucas Krull about the characteristics of a Bo Nix pass.

His answer:

“Electric. I think he’s the type of guy, man, when he lets it go, there’s always something with it, & you know it’s gonna be a ball that gives anyone anyone an opportunity to make a play.”

Also praised… pic.twitter.com/PQ7iZay0sk

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 6, 2024

But Krull also doled out praise to the other passers.

“So, every time those guys are back there, you know, whether it’s him, Stiddy (Jarrett Stidham), Zach (Wilson), all these guys, man, they’re doing a great job of giving us every chance to go in, attack a ball and make a play.”

Jarrett Stidham was up first Tuesday, but on a day that saw the Broncos emphasize the run, his opportunities were relatively scarce. Stidham hit Adam Trautman for a 10-yard touchdown strike down the left seam on a third-and-6 play in the seven-on-seven red-zone period, beating Riley Moss for the score.

Stidham took another shot at a touchdown during the team red-zone period, but an attempt for Josh Reynolds with Kris Abrams-Draine in coverage fell incomplete.

At one point starting with the seven-on-seven period, Bo Nix completed seven-straight passes. The first three of those were in seven-on-seven, where, working in a red-zone sequence he hit Krull and Tim Patrick for consecutive touchdowns — although his series of downs ended with a scramble.

But in team-period work, Nix’s wheels came in handy. He took advantage of an outstanding block from Audric Estimé to step forward and reel off what would have been a gain of double-digit yardage under game conditions.

Zach Wilson remained the No. 3 quarterback on the field — although he was No. 2 on the unofficial depth chart that the Broncos issued on Tuesday, as Payton elected to keep all rookies as low on that mandatory public statement as possible.

After completing a swing pass to Jalen Virgil during the opening team period, Wilson saw his work during the seven-on-seven period undone by his pass catchers. He had passes bounce off the hands of Troy Franklin and Greg Dulcich during that sequence, and ultimately had just one completion in four attempts, as he also had a throwaway and a pass to David Sills.

In subsequent team periods, Wilson held up well — although he absorbed a sack from Dondrea Tillman — until the final repetition of the team red-zone period, when Tremon Smith intercepted him. However, the pass was a tip-drill pick, bouncing off the hands of Estimé. It took some bloom off the rose of his previous pass, when he located Devaughn Vele near the sideline for a leaping, 24-yard pass that moved the football down to the 1-yard line.