The numbers aren’t kind to Bo Nix through four weeks

SANTA CLARA, Calif. — Broncos quarterback Bo Nix isn’t where he wants to be through four weeks of the 2026 regular season.

After Sunday’s 24-14 defeat to the San Francisco 49ers, the third-year quarterback’s frustrations are told in where he ranks among 32 quarterbacks with at least 65 plays to their name — pass attempts, rushing attempts and times sacked — in some key metrics heading into Monday night’s play:

• Adjusted EPA/play: 22
• EPA per play: 23
• Success rate: 24
• Completion percentage over expected: 27
• ESPN QBR: 24
• Passer rating: 25

That averages to a collective ranking of 24.2, placing him 25th among those 32 quarterbacks, ahead of Pittsburgh’s Aaron Rodgers, Indianapolis’ Daniel Jones, Minnesota’s Kyler Murray, Miami’s Malik Willis, Tampa Bay’s Baker Mayfield, Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and Jameis Winston of the New York Giants.

So, on the positive side from a Broncos perspective, they’ll see a quarterback next Sunday in Herbert who is struggling as he never has in his seven-season career.

But after two promising campaigns to open his career,

The subject of Nix’s ankle arose during the CBS broadcast Sunday, when sideline reporter Melanie Collins noted that Nix has occasions when “he experiences some swelling and stiffness after activity or a plane ride.” After the game, Nix answered “No” when asked whether the ankle he injured in January has impacted his form this season.

But if the ankle is an issue, it would affect his mechanics — particularly his footwork.

ARE MECHANICS AN ISSUE FOR NIX?

Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked about that in the final question posed to him during Monday morning’s conference call with Denver-area media.
So, is it a mechanical thing?

“So I would say this because it’s a position I’ve coached for — I don’t know however many years: There are times where you want to be careful how much you say,” Payton said.

 

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“In other words, he’s real good when he flushes out of the pocket. I think there was one snap a week ago he came out the back instead of climbing but he’s pretty good relative to understanding the drop as it pertains to depth of route.

“There are times where (quarterbacks Logan (Kilgore) or Davis (Webb) will look closely with a route and say, “Hey maybe we hitch here,” but, yeah, I think he’s got a feel for these routes and he understands — whether it’s in the gun or under center — what it should feel like and look like.”

So, Payton sees positives when Nix escapes the pocket and operates beyond structure.

But through four games, one thing is clear regarding the 2024 first-round pick: He — like the team at large — isn’t at the level anyone in Broncos Country wants.

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