How Broncos QB Bo Nix shows leadership

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Bo Nix finds himself in a unique position as he progresses through his rookie training camp.

On the one hand, he finds himself in a subservient role in the quarterback room where a four-year veteran (Zach Wilson) and a six-year veteran (Jarrett Stidham) surround him. And with that comes the accompanying methods of welcoming a rookie to the NFL, including carrying the veterans’ pads back to the locker room after a training-camp practice.

But on the other, Nix is expected to show leadership.

Now, carrying the pads is a time-tested tradition that likely adds another layer to the future leadership of the team by Bo Nix. After all, his first-round, highly-touted status didn’t mean he was too big for a courtesy that conveys respect for the players who took the path Nix now traverses as an NFL newcomer.

And that’s part of leadership. In fact, every place Nix goes — on the field, in the weight room, in the team cafeteria and beyond — he believes in showing leadership.

Bo Nix mentioned how you even show leadership in the weight room & cafeteria, so I followed up by asking whether leadership is something of which he must always be conscious:

"That's a great question. I think how you do anything is how you do everything. So it's kind of an… pic.twitter.com/Dxo460nFbk

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) August 8, 2024

“I think how you do anything is how you do everything,” Nix said. “So it’s kind of an all-the-time thing. You have a lot of responsibility and you gotta act accordingly.

“And so in my position, the other quarterbacks, we all kind of carry ourselves with that leadership role on a day-to-day basis, no matter where we are.”

Teammates have praised Nix’s maturity. Jaleel McLaughlin has spoken of how Nix is a teacher, helping refine his route-running.

Nix is doing the rookie things, that’s true. But he’s already doing much more than that.

Composure under duress was the sign of progress for Bo Nix on Wednesday, as he guided the No. 1 offense under a fusillade of pressure looks thrown at him by Vance Joseph’s defense on a day that saw the Broncos emphasize third-down work.

Nix managed to avoid the big mistake. His highlights included four completions in the seven-on-seven period — all of which moved the chains — and a lovely fake toss during a team-period repetition that set him up to hit a wide-open Devaughn Vele for 15 yards.

“I think the game has started to slow down a little bit,” Nix said. “I’ve started to feel very comfortable with the base install. There are a lot more plays that I’m comfortable with than not, so that definitely helps. The more I see on defense, the better it’s going to get for me I think moving forward.”

A solid day working with the No. 2 offense ended unkindly for Stidham, with an interception on a pass thrown into heavy traffic during the final period of practice. Stidham threw into traffic at the goal line as the clock drained toward 0:00, and the ball ricocheted skyward into the grasp of linebacker Levelle Bailey.

It was a risk he had to take in that situation — and not necessarily one he would have attempted at another area of the field or another clock scenario.

“My job is to throw it to our guys and that’s what I try to do every time I’m asked to do it,” Stidham said. “Certainly, there’s a level of aggressiveness that you obviously have to have as quarterback, but not recklessness. It’s trying to find that good balance.”

Zach Wilson closed practice with the only touchdown of the move-the-ball sequence, guiding the No. 3 offense on a 37-yard drive capped by a 23-yard touchdown pass to Troy Franklin, who dropped a pass in the one-on-one period earlier in practice.

Still, Wilson remains rooted with the No. 3 unit, where he has been since late last week. His last first-team repetitions came July 26, on the first day Broncos camp practice was opened to fans.

Wilson was tagged as the Jets’ starter in 2021 and 2022 and the No. 2 in camp last year, so this has been an unusual experience for the four-year veteran.

“For me personally, [it has been] just a different mindset,” Wilson said. “Just how I’m approaching the game with absolute love and just being grateful for being out here. Not a lot of people get to come out here and throw the ball around on an NFL field. I’m blessed to be out here and am just trying to take advantage of it, and just keep improving and doing the best I can.”