Denver Broncos are looking forward to the 2026 season, especially win quarterback Bo Nix making a comeback after his season-ending ankle fracture last year.

However, in a recent ESPN survey, sportswriter Bill Barnwell questioned whether Nix could be valuable in a potential trade situation on his own merit.

“He has had a great offensive line and gets to work with Sean Payton, but Nix also hasn't had a reliable run game or much at receiver behind Courtland Sutton before the arrival of Jaylen Waddle this offseason,” Barnwell said on July 16.

According to Barnwell’s July 16 ESPN survey, Nix truly shone because of the players and coaches surrounding him.

He also compared the Broncos quarterback to Jacksonville Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence, who surpassed him in reliability and experience despite the two being roughly the same age.

“Age matters here, as Nix is only a few months younger than Trevor Lawrence, who has three more years of pro experience. I'm not sure teams would be as thrilled about Nix without Payton designing the offense, and Nix might be the sort of quarterback who provides real value on a rookie contract before sapping a team on a more expensive deal,” Barnwell added. 

As things stand, the Broncos could ask for just one first-round pick in exchange for their $18.6 million QB in a potential trade situation.

Nix was drafted 12th overall in 2024 by Denver, and had a standout rookie season, recording 3,775 passing yards, 376 completions, and 29 passing touchdowns. His 2025 season was equally successful, as he posted 3,931 passing yards and tied for 9th in passing scores. 

Barnwell’s comments suggested that if Nix can improve his frequency of successful downfield throws, he could be “a much more valuable player in 2027 and beyond.”

With Nix on the mend, this could be the Broncos’ chance to redeem themselves after their playoff defeat against the New England Patriots. And it could become HC Sean Payton’s second chance at guiding the team to the Super Bowl.

Interestingly, Payton almost gave up the opportunity to become Denver’s HC to support a longtime friend and a former Patriots coach. 

The time Sean Payton almost gave away his job to Bill Belichick

Bill Belichick served as head coach for the New England Patriots for 24 years, and held the record for the most Super Bowl victories as an NFL head coach. However, that came to an end in 2023, when he was released by the Patriots. 

However, Payton, who was a close friend of the legendary coach, wanted to see the latter surpass Don Shula’s record of the most career victories as head coach. 

According to Sportsboom, when Belichick received just one interview for a coaching position after leaving the Patriots, Payton even considered temporarily stepping down from his role as HC and speaking to Broncos owner Greg Penner about offering Belichick the job.

“I’m just a big fan of Bill’s and I think our league’s better when he’s in it," Payton said during an exclusive interview with Sportsboom. "That lasted for about 10 minutes. But it was just one of those ideas that, you know, sometimes you’ll brainstorm something, and then you’ll quickly move on. But I’ve got a ton of respect for Bill. I think that much of him. And so it was just one of those crazy thoughts.”

But the Broncos HC admitted he didn’t act on the impulse. Belichick eventually decided to move to college football coaching.

Per WRAL News, Belichick was hired to become the head coach of the North Carolina Tar Heels football team. He signed a 5-year, $50 million contract with UNC in December 2024 to elevate the college program.

Do you think the Broncos can reach the Super Bowl this year? Let us know in the comments.

Read more at the Denver Broncos Community!

Written by

Arundhoti Palit

Edited by

Arundhoti Palit