The Ringer rates Bo Nix as NFL’s worst starting QB

While Bo Nix may have impressed Sean Payton and Broncos Country during the preseason, The Ringer feels the Denver Broncos have downgraded at the position this offseason.

The Ringer’s pre-Week 1 QB ratings were published on Thursday and ranking dead last was the Broncos rookie starter Nix. Also at the bottom was AFC West rival, Raiders starter journeyman Gardner Minshew and failing first overall pick Bryce Young of the Panthers. Simply put, it’s not where the Broncos want their quarterback. But why the poor rating of 72 and last in their system?

Steven Ruiz notes, “After the whole Taysom Hill thing, I’m no longer taking Sean Payton’s word for it when it comes to quarterbacks. That’s probably a mistake. He knows way more about the position than I do, but I also didn’t compare Hill to Steve Young, so maybe it’s closer than I’m giving myself credit for.”

Ruiz says that Nix’s Oregon film doesn’t reveal the strong-armed unflappable passer we’ve heard about in Denver. The writer says the quarterback is more of a system player who was capable of making many throws but wasn’t required to do that in Oregon’s offense which had receivers wide-open. He also says that Nix, like Russell Wilson, wasted clean pockets in college.

Wilson came in at 27 on the ranking, as Ruiz called him an action star who has aged out of the role.

Unlike Wilson, who is seemingly on a path downward at the end of his career, Nix could rise if he gets a better pocket presence.

Nix, 24, was taken in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft by Denver. He is coming off a Heisman-nominated final year for the Oregon Ducks. Nix was a five-year starter in college for the Ducks and Auburn Tigers, finishing his school time as the Offensive Player of the Year in the Pac-12 last fall. Nix threw for 4,508 yards and 45 touchdowns to just three interceptions while tacking on another 234 yards and six touchdowns on the ground last fall. In 2022, Nix actually rushed for 510 yards and 14 touchdowns, showing he’s capable of getting outside of the pocket and is willing to put his body on the line.

In his lone two preseason games for the Broncos, Nix’s 116.7 passer rating was second among all QBs. He threw for 205 yards, connecting on 23 of his 30 tosses with two touchdowns to boot.

For most quarterbacks on the list, they have done much more in the NFL than Nix has—but the top rookie Caleb Williams was only tabbed at 20—showing not much love for the youngsters.

If Nix does become as great as Payton thinks he can be, we’ll all be pointing back and laughing that like Nikola Jokic—Nix has apparently begun his career at the bottom.