Sean Payton didn’t want to describe Bo Nix as ‘boring’ … but Nix was consistent

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Sean Payton didn’t want to describe the work of Bo Nix as “boring” — although that word did pass from him lips when he answered a question about what he saw in Nix’s work at Denver Broncos rookie minicamp Saturday.

“It’s almost like watching a good golfer,” Payton said. “Sometimes when you watch his game over two years, there’s a patience to how he plays. The ball comes out, and — I don’t want to use the term ‘boring,’ that’s not the right term, but [he makes] pretty good decisions.”

One way of describing Nix in the first glimpse Denver-area media received of him at Centura Health Training Center was “consistent.” But perhaps a better word is “metronomic.”

Because like a metronome and its telltale ticking, Bo Nix operated in perfect rhythm. And given that Payton’s passing offense is based around rhythm and timing, this is exactly what he wanted — and what was missing last year with Russell Wilson.

Sean Payton, on Bo Nix’s work at #Broncos rookie minicamp today: “There’s a patience to the way he plays. … The ball comes out — and I don’t want to use the term ‘boring,’ that’s not the right term — but, yeah, pretty good decisions … I thought he threw it well today.” pic.twitter.com/Xb9PTXjiFH

— Andrew Mason (@MaseDenver) May 11, 2024

Time and again Saturday, Nix quickly moved through his progressions and fired. He led his receivers. He completed passes across the middle. It looked like the Payton offense during the New Orleans years, and Nix appeared to be an ideal point guard for it.

“I thought he threw it well,” Payton said.

Yes, it was just rookie minicamp. But Bo Nix was as advertised. And that may be why Payton had to cycle through “boring” as he attempted to describe the first-round pick’s work during a practice that stretched over two hours.

Because Nix was predictable. So were the footballs he threw — on target and on time. One doesn’t want to make too much of a practice in May — particularly one without veteran players beyond a smattering of first-year players who didn’t collect a season of service time last year while on the Broncos’ practice squad.

But the Broncos didn’t unwrap their first-round present to find the gift wasn’t as expected.

“No, it’s been exactly what we saw (on film),” Payton said. “The only thing that I can think about that I was a little bit surprised is when we went to work him out privately and stood around him, he was bigger than I expected. But nothing in the last two days. He’s doing well.”

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