In the shadow of the Rocky Mountains, where the ghosts of John Elway’s heroics still echo, the Denver Broncos find themselves at a crossroads. After the Russell Wilson experiment fizzled faster than a deflating football, a new hope emerged in the form of rookie quarterback Bo Nix. And if T. J. Houshmandzadeh’s crystal ball is accurate, Broncos Country might soon be trading ‘Let’s Ride’ for ‘Let’s Nix.’

Houshmandzadeh, the former Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver, didn’t mince words on The Herd with Colin Cowherd on July 30. “I’ll give you two guys that I believe will work and work quick, is Caleb Williams and Bo Nix,” he declared. But what’s got the ex-NFLer so fired up about the 12th pick of the 2024 draft?

First up, experience. Nix isn’t your average rookie. “He started so many games in college (61) that’s crazy. Like every year,” Houshmandzadeh marveled. That’s more starts than some NFL quarterbacks have in their entire careers. It’s like Nix has been through football boot camp, college edition!

While Nix went past Kellen Moore and Colt McCoy in his final season with the Ducks, simply having a high number of starts is not an indicator of NFL success. Ask the two aforementioned names. Why? Well, Boise State’s former QB Kellen Moore remained undrafted in 2012 and went on to take the field just 3 times in 6 seasons. Meanwhile, former Texas Longhorns QB Colt McCoy, currently a free agent at 37, went in the third round and had just 1 season (his second) as a starter with the Browns.

An interesting fact is that McCoy (112) and Kellen Moore (142) both had more college passing TDs than Nix (108). However, Nix is a first-round pick who offers a much greater rushing threat. He is also someone the franchise has used as prime draft capital, but there is one more thing that helps him stand out.

It’s not just about Nix’s college resume. His accuracy is turning heads too. Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham couldn’t help but gush about it to the DNVR Broncos Podcast back in June. “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.” In fact, Nix’s 77.4% completion rate last season didn’t just raise eyebrows—it set an FBS single-season record.

In Denver, Houshmandzadeh sees the perfect mix of elements. “You’re with a coach that has proved he can win with almost anybody,” he said, speaking about Sean Payton. The offensive maestro has made water into wine in the past, or in the language of the NFL, converting second fiddles to winners. “Sean Payton was winning games with Teddy Bridgewater, Taysom Hill, and at a high level,” said Houshmandzadeh.

The Broncos have been changing quarterbacks for some time now. Since Peyton Manning retired, they have changed their signal callers almost as quickly as a Rocky Mountain snowstorm. But Nix might be the one to stop the merry-go-round. He is fighting Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson right now and Payton calls it rotation. “We’re rotating all of them right now,” Payton told the press last month.

Mike McGlinchey, the Broncos’ right tackle, has been impressed with what he’s seen. He said this week, “I think certainly his maturity is something everybody is speaking to. He’s learned fast on the job and he’s a very competitive dude.” He paints a vision of a rookie who is more sponge than deer-in-the-headlights, soaking up every bit of NFL knowledge that he can get his hands on.

How does Bo Nix fit Sean Payton’s Quarterback blueprint?

If you’re looking for Sean Payton’s ideal quarterback, you might as well be searching for the Holy Grail. But Bo Nix might just be that sacred chalice. Payton’s QB wish list reads like a football fairy tale: intelligence, athleticism, and leadership. And Nix? He’s checking those boxes like a motivated DMV employee.

Mark Schlereth, speaking on The Rich Eisen Show today, broke down Nix’s mental game. “His ability to throw from a dirty pocket, his ability to kind of process information, make quick decisions, his accuracy,” Schlereth rattled off. Whittingham echoed this sentiment. “Makes such quick decisions, such a quick processor that very seldom do you have a chance to get home.” It is like Nix’s head is the place for a supercomputer and it can process defenses quicker than ‘Omaha’ can be uttered!

But the 12th pick of the 2024 draft isn’t just a pocket passer. He’s got wheels too. Schlereth noted, “The fact that he didn’t take a lot of sacks I don’t think he had one fumble in his two years at Oregon.” The ability of Nix to avoid getting hit hard in a league where quarterbacks often become turf sandwiches is vital. In his last two college seasons, he was sacked just ten times.

And leadership? Utah head coach Kyle Whittingham called Nix an “alpha dog” who exudes leadership on the field. This intangible quality can change a good team into a great one.

And speaking of great, the Drew Brees comparisons are already flying. “I don’t know Drew Brees. All I did was watch him from afar, but there are some similarities there,” Whittingham himself drew the parallel. This says something given that Brees and Payton were one of NFL’s most successful pairings in history.

Payton’s reputation as a QB coach is legendary. From turning Drew Brees into a future Hall of Famer to getting production from the fringe guys, Payton’s name as a QB guru precedes him. While in Dallas, he helped guide three different quarterbacks (Quincy Carter, Vinny Testaverde, and Drew Bledsoe) to have 3000-yard passing seasons. Of all NFL teams in his first 100 games as head coach, he had the highest-scoring team with 2,804 points and the most yards gained with 40,158 for the New Orleans Saints.

Maybe with Nix, it is going to be the same story. According to Adam Schefter in April, “Payton feels as strongly about Bo Nix as he did Mahomes.” That’s not just high praise—that’s stratospheric praise.

As the 2024 season looms, the anticipation in Denver is palpable. Can Bo Nix be the one to lead the Broncos back to the promised land? Only time will tell. But one thing’s for sure – in the Mile-High City, hope is rising faster than the altitude. Broncos Country, get ready. The Nix era might just be the sequel to ‘The Drive’ you’ve been waiting for.