Just some late night thoughts that came through my head while watching MNF (holy cow the Falcons have a run game. Wouldn’t that be nice!?).
One thing that I think we’ve all kind of overlooked in these first four weeks is that even after a QB comes into the NFL and gets to a certain level of play, they have to CONTINUE work on their game their entire career to keep their job and stay at that level which is something every long-term starter understands (usually after they have a down season).
They cannot assume that they will play the same way they did this season as they did last. That’s another one of the many reasons why these guys get paid a lot of money and are often the stars of their team. They shoulder a truly ridiculous load year after year and even the best of them have down years. I challenge anyone to name me a current starter who hasn’t had a down year. You can’t and you won’t.
All this to say… I think Bo will eventually get out of this early slump like he has twice before in his career. But I think he still is too much in the educational maelstrom of his position, working on both trying to raise his level of play to a new level AND simultaneously adjusting to a league with CLEARLY fix him up and get him on the struggle bus. This is the phase of a 1st round QBs career where the franchise becomes patient above all. Jacksonville and Carolina have been very patient with Trevor Lawrence and Bryce Young and those two combined haven’t had a quarter of the early career success that Nix has had. They are now rising stars and rightfully enjoying some of the accolades and accolades that Bo tasted in his first two seasons.
And let me be clear, absolutely nothing in this miniature late night essay offers any excuse for Nix’s play. He was very poor by the standards he set himself in his first two years and while there are still good moments in this young season (JAX and LA), there has been a very detectable change in the way the media and fanbase treat him now. These kinds of struggles in 2024 and 2025 are easily dismissed with excuses about it being only year 2, his experience, winning, and so on.
Now it’s year 3, where historically the pressure is on the rise. No more coddling and handholding, Bo. Welcome to the show. You are not young anymore. You’re an NFL vet. A kid… but still a vet. Welcome to the rest of your career, #10. You can prove that you can still do it, no matter how many times you’ve done it.
Finally… For those who think Nix’s tenure in Denver will end this offseason… Keep dreaming y’all. It’s been said a billion times on this page but QBs who can do what Nix did in his first two years and what he will continue to do in Q4 don’t grow on trees in the draft. The 2024 QB draft class looks to be one of the best ever but that doesn’t mean it’s going to be a random occurrence every year. A year like that is a once in a blue moon caliber event. And don’t think free agency is better/more likely. A franchise-changer hitting the FA is an even more BARE event. There is no magical replacement walking through the door at Dove Valley to restart the QB carousel that has put us through hell for nearly a decade. Tua Turndaballova went 6 years in Miami without winning a single game under 32 degrees, Daniel Jones screwed the Giants for 6 years with a 24-44 record and his physical inability to stop the ball rolling, and two #1 overall picks in Bryce Young and Trevor Lawrence took THIS long before starting to break out. Denver likes it it’s obvious upgrade at the position if they can, but every franchise operates under the exact same mindset at every given time at every position. Meaning does not always mean ‘can’. Bet on Nix as your starter until the end of 2028.
Barring a truly ridiculous collapse, Denver will almost certainly give Bo the no how much runway as much as they can in the form of a 5th year option and give him this season plus the next two to reach the next level, a decision they will no doubt be comfortable with because of the financial leverage they can do for one more season (30 million vs. $50-60 million market salary for a QB) and because of what he easily did here in Denver2 in his year, QB ever.
It’s a challenging league, but nonetheless a patient one when it comes to the toughest position in professional sports. I’m sure the 2026 season will be even more interesting than it already is for us but that’s the natural beauty of the sport isn’t it? You just never know what you’ll find.
See you all on Sunday afternoon!