Bo Nix recaps the Broncos’ QB competition ahead of training camp

The Denver Broncos open training camp this week and all eyes will be on the quarterback position.

Rookie Bo Nix will share that spotlight with veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson. Sean Payton will choose the player who gives the team the best chance to win as his starter, but that decision has already been made, according to at least one former player now working for NFL Network.

Although camp doesn’t officially begin until July 26, rookies have already reported. Nix offered his thoughts on the upcoming competition, expressing a desire to include as many of his teammates as possible, but also “play fast” when he gets his chance. He also described it as a respectful competition between the three quarterbacks.

Bo Nix Discusses the Denver Broncos’ Quarterback Competition

Speaking to Aric DiLalla of the team’s official website, Nix summed up how he expects the competition to go:

“It’s already there, and I think it started when we knew we were all going to be on the same team. But I have a lot of respect for those guys and we compete at a really high level, but it’s a very respectful competition. I think we all want each other to succeed. We all know we’ve walked different paths and had to overcome different adversity, and that’s what unites us. We all help each other, and it’s great to learn from those guys and experience things that they’ve gone through.

And I think honestly my job as a rookie is to absorb everything I can, especially from those guys. You know, Zach’s played a lot and Stidham’s played a lot of years. And so they have — between the two of them — different situations, but a lot of knowledge, so that’s what I’m looking to continue to learn in training camp. I think it’s just healthy competition, good competition, and I think we’re all going to come out of it better.”

Nix also seems to have realistic expectations for what things will look like now that he’s at the pro level. Things probably won’t be as easy as they were for him at Oregon, but he expects to be able to handle the pressure of being an NFL quarterback:

“I think it comes down to you’re never going to avoid mistakes. So you better go out there and play fast and do your best to avoid them and be smart. But I mean, you’re going to make mistakes every time. The key is to minimize them and make them small mistakes. So the mistake is … you messed up a drop or got the right read or maybe made a bad step, but the play was efficient. You did it. I think those are the better mistakes that you learn from. And of course the catastrophes that you want to avoid. But that’s part of playing the position.”

The Broncos will hold their first practice of camp on July 26 at 10 a.m. MT. They will open their preseason schedule on August 11 against the Indianapolis Colts.