In the Mile High City, Sean Payton likes to tag his QB backroom as “orphan dogs”—A smart leap in narratives after two brutal seasons on the gridiron for the Denver Broncos spearheaded by a 13-year veteran, Russell Wilson. Well into the training camp practice, Sean Payton has a few telling words for rookie Bo Nix. Or did he just take a veiled dig at Mr. Unlimited? We’ll let you figure out.

“He doesn’t take a lot of sacks,” Payton observed as reported by Zac Stevens in X, his words carrying the weight of Super Bowl rings. “I think he knows when the play is over, time to go. Then I think he can make plays when he’s going.” It’s not just coach-speak – it’s an indirect comparison that’s setting Denver abuzz.

Well, Wilson’s tenure with the Broncos was more painful than a blindside hit. In just 30 games over two seasons, Wilson was sacked a jaw-dropping 100 times. That’s enough to make any offensive line coach lose sleep. But here’s the kicker – the Broncos’ O-line wasn’t the main culprit. In 2024, ESPN ranked 8th in the NFL in pass block win rate. Pro Football Focus only credited the line with allowing 16 sacks last year. So when Wilson hit the turf 45 times, eyebrows were expectedly raised.

Mark Schlereth, a former Bronco and current analyst dropped a bombshell that adds fuel to this fire. Recounting a conversation with Drew Brees, Schlereth revealed heavy information right from the Broncos camp in the Stinking Truth Podcast last month. He said, “I bumped into Drew Brees at the Super Bowl and he point blank told me I didn’t recognize the offense that they were running which tells you what? It was completely adjusted based upon what they thought Russell could do and what they knew he couldn’t.”

This insight suggests that despite Payton’s best efforts to tailor the offense to Wilson’s strengths, the results were far from satisfactory. To reiterate how satisfactory the fewer sacks are, Payton brought his dynamic QB Drew Brees into the conversation. He said, “I used to say this all the time, ‘The sack numbers are a reflection more on the quarterback than the offensive line.’ Brees was one of those guys. He was a tough sack. The ball came out, and I think Bo has traits like that.”

This is true! Over the magnetic 15 years that the Brees-Payton duo dominated the gridiron, Brees only accumulated 328 sacks with just 25 coming in his last two years with the Saints — A stark contrast to Wilson and his numbers in the past two years with Denver under Payton. Brees, during his time, showcased the legendary talent he possessed. Ranking second in all-time passing yards (80,358) and passing touchdowns (571), just behind Tom Brady.

If this legacy is to be continued by Nix, the Broncos will be unrecognizable just like the 2007 Saints. The positive thing about Nix is that “mentally, [Nix] wants to know as much and as fast as he can.” A mindset that is highly valued in the competitive arena of the NFL.

While the coach praised the young QB2 for not getting much sacked, it is salient to note that Russell Wilson did not face this issue alone as a Broncos QB. He also struggled with ball holding, taking a little extra time in passing it over, a big contrast again with the new recruit who was praised by Utah’s head coach Kyle Whittingham.

“He is tremendous,” Whittingham said via DNVR Broncos Podcast last month. “Just as far as details, his completions percentage is uncanny. He does get the ball out quick, but he gets it out quick and puts it right where it needs to be.” Whittingham even went as far as to say, “I don’t know Drew Brees, all I did was watch him from afar, but there are some similarities there.” 

Is Bo Nix the next Drew Brees?

The Brees comparison isn’t just about arm talent. It’s about the intangibles – the leadership, the poise, the ability to make a defense sweat without breaking a sweat yourself. Nix seems to be checking those boxes faster than a ref at kickoff.

During his college career, Nix played a whopping 61 games. That experience is showing up in training camp, where he’s devouring the playbook. As Mark Schlereth revealed on The Stinkin Truth Podcast last month, “Sean sends him the Playbook at 5:00 at night and says I want to go over you know an insane amount of information and there’s no way you could learn it all and the guy who handled that better than anybody else was Bo Nix.”

The similarities are striking. Nix’s release time averaged 2.5 seconds in college, ranking him fourth among draft prospects. It’s a stat that screams “Drew Brees,” promising quick decisions and fewer sacks – music to any offensive line’s ears. But here’s the rub – can Nix live up to the hype? The NFL isn’t college ball, and as Chris Simms cautioned two months back, “My only worry is that Sean puts too much on him early on.” It’s a tightrope walk between nurturing talent and overwhelming a rookie.

Nix himself seems ready for the challenge. In an interview with RGIII, he expressed his admiration for Payton and his desire to emulate Brees’ success. “That would be a blast. Playing for a coach like that, who’s been so important for the game and so important for the offensive game,” said Nix.

As training camp heats up, all eyes are on Nix. In a recent practice simulating game conditions, Nix took snaps with the 2nd and 3rd teams, showing Payton’s commitment to giving him valuable reps. Will he be the next Drew Brees, leading Denver back to glory? Or will the pressure prove to be too much? One thing’s for sure – with Sean Payton calling the shots and Bo Nix under center, the Broncos offense is set to be more exciting than a rodeo on Red Bull. As Whittingham put it, “He is an alpha dog.” Buckle up, Denver – this season’s gonna be one wild ride.