Broncos’ Sean Payton Warned Against 1 Thing That Could Jeopardise Bo Nix’s Near Perfect NFL Start After Getting Rid of Russell Wilson

Excitement is at a fever pitch in Denver with the Broncos hitting the reset button. After swinging and missing on Russell Wilson, they cut bait and shipped him to the Steelers. Now with Sean Payton calling the shots and blue-chip rookie Bo Nix under center, visions of returning to mile-high glory days are dancing in fans’ heads. But a voice of reason is urging pump the brakes – don’t overload Nix too fast or it could derail his potential storybook start.

Former pro QB Chris Simms laid it out straight on his show Chris Simms Unbuttoned: “My only worry is that Sean puts too much on him early on.” It’s a legit concern in a league where rookie QBs often get thrown to the wolves. Pile too much of Payton’s complex playbook on Nix and it could overwhelm the 24-year-old, disrupting the very traits that made him the #12 overall pick – razor-sharp decision-making, Brett Favre-esque gunslinger mentality and cool composure of a grizzled vet.

Payton knows the score, preaching “It’s literally win every game” in that intense Who Dat Nation way. But the coach’s impressive résumé with QBs shows overtaxing rookies is a rookie mistake. Just look at Russell Wilson’s 2012 Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign (89.7 PFF grade) – Seattle played to his strengths while increasing his plate gradually, much like Phil Jackson’s triangle offense philosophy with Michael Jordan’s Bulls.

But trying to make Nix an instant star could disrupt the very qualities that made him so attractive – his poise, decision-making, and clutch gene honed over 5 years as a college starter. The blueprint may be letting Nix grab some pine early as vet Jarrett Stidham takes some snaps. Letting Nix ease in could be the difference between him becoming John Elway‘s latest Mile High Messiah or another Ryan Leaf-type draft bust.

Nix seems ready to put in the work, saying “Pressure gives you opportunities.” But managing those opportunities wisely in his rookie year could make the difference in whether Nix follows Wilson’s meteoric trajectory or flames out like so many overhyped QB prospects before him.

That being said, there seems to be a plan in motion at Denver.

The mentor whisperers guiding Bo Nix’s transition to being Denver’s franchise QB

While debate rages over how much to put on rookie Bo Nix’s plate, the team seems to be looking to surround the young gun with savvy mentor quarterbacks who can be his offensive line, shielding him from the pro game’s intense trenches as he adjusts. Nix has the good fortune of a quarterback room stacked with been-there, done-that sages, who can show him the ropes. There’s Stidham, the journeyman backup who could be deployed early to “take some hits” in Nix’s place, as analyst Daniel Jeremiah suggested. “Let’s just watch a few weeks, go through preparation, get comfortable, see it from the sideline.”

Then you have elite alumni like Philip Rivers, who Nix revealed has already “worked with him a couple times” to school the rookie on navigating pro-style attacks. “He has a lot of knowledge, a lot more than I have,” Nix said of the gunslinger-turned-mentor.

Ultimately, the Broncos are balancing two objectives – maximizing Nix’s immense upside while restoring championship glory days after disastrous seasons in the past. By merging the urgency to win along with patience for Nix’s evolution, Denver can craft an environment for their potential cornerstone to “spread his wings” at an ideal pace.