Bo Nix (Photo via Denver Broncos YouTube)

The Denver Broncos reportedly used a crafty trick to ensure that Oregon Ducks quarterback Bo Nix fell to them at No. 12 in the 2024 NFL Draft.

Bo Nix was the sixth quarterback drafted alone in the top 12, along with Caleb Williams (first overall to the Chicago Bears), Jayden Daniels (second to the Washington Commanders), Drake Maye (third to the New England Patriots), Michael Penix Jr. (fourth to the Atlanta Falcons) and JJ McCarthy (10th to the Minnesota Vikings).

According to a report from Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Broncos head coach Sean Payton and GM George Paton listed the 2024 NFL quarterback prospects “in no particular order” so that they wouldn’t tip their hand about which QB they wanted:

“All that was on tape stood up, with Nix throwing to WR Troy Franklin and RB Bucky Irving, and around 10 of his ex-teammates there to support him (which affirmed what the Broncos heard about Nix as a pied piper).

With that complete, the Broncos retreated for final draft meetings. Payton, Paton and Penner by then knew where things stood on Nix. They also knew they had to keep it to themselves. So on the board in the Denver draft room, all of the quarterbacks were stashed on the bottom left corner, in no particular order, both to prevent any sort of bias in discussion and also, simply, to keep the brass’ secret…

Would it have been nice to get an extra Day 2 pick and Nix? Sure. But if he’s what Payton and Paton think he can be, which is a lot more than most NFL folks believe he will be, then it won’t matter much what Denver gave up to get him.”

Many scouts and analysts believed Nix was a “reach” at No. 12, but it was obvious in the weeks leading up to the draft that Denver would be in the hunt for a quarterback. Breer also noted that Denver didn’t want to risk trading down because of their concerns that the Las Vegas Raiders would potentially take Nix with the next pick.

After another disappointing season, the Broncos decided to drastically shake up their quarterback room. Russell Wilson was released in a move that will cost Denver $85 million in dead money over the next two years.

The team acquired 2021 first-round pick Zach Wilson via trade with the New York Jets before drafting Bo Nix. At this time, Wilson, Nix, Jarrett Stidham and Ben DiNucci are the four QBs on Denver’s depth chart.

Bo Nix Is The Broncos’ Latest Quarterback Gamble

The Broncos have spent eight years now searching for a long-term answer at QB following Peyton Manning’s retirement in the 2016 offseason.

2016 first-round pick Paxton Lynch and 2019 second-rounder Drew Lock never panned out. Veteran acquisitions Brock Osweiler, Joe Flacco, Case Keenum, Teddy Bridgewater and the aforementioned Russell Wilson didn’t do enough to secure the QB1 position, either.

So the Broncos are again trying with another highly-touted prospect in Nix. Payton is one of the greatest offensive-minded coaches of all time, so Denver fans have to be optimistic that the Oregon product can be their answer at QB once and for all.