There’s a serious buzz within the NFL that the Denver Broncos are eyeing a “wait-and-see” approach with Bo Nix’s contract, potentially holding off on a new deal if his play doesn’t pick up soon. If things don’t improve, ESPN’s Jeff Legwold reports the most likely scenario is the Broncos just exercising the fifth-year option on his rookie deal next offseason. Talk about taking the long view on a guy, but when you look at the tape and the stats, it’s starting to make a lot of sense.
The Numbers Are Ugly, And Even Insiders Are Cringing
This isn’t just a slight dip. We’re talking about a sharp downturn for the 26-year-old signal-caller in his third NFL season. Nix is currently on pace for the worst statistical year of his career. His completion percentage has cratered to a career-low 60.3 percent. He’s only thrown for 1,049 yards, six touchdowns, and three interceptions, with just 37 rushing yards and one score on the ground. But the real gut punch? His yards-per-attempt average is a measly 5.5. That’s a huge drop from his 6.7 in 2024 and 6.4 in 2025. An anonymous, longtime NFL quarterbacks coach and play-caller didn’t pull any punches either, telling Legwold it’s “just hard to watch and hard for them to find something [Nix] or Sean can even dial up just to get their balance.” They even added, “I don’t think anybody saw that coming.”
And it’s not just Nix. The entire Denver offense is sputtering. They’re ranked 31st in total offense, churning out a pathetic 252.2 yards per game, and 26th in scoring offense with only 19.0 points per game. Think about that for a second: the Broncos are somehow 4-2, but their offense is ranked almost dead last across the league. You don’t need to be a genius to figure out their defense is doing some serious heavy lifting to keep them in games.
Payton’s Play-Calling Rollercoaster and Waddle’s Woes
Head Coach Sean Payton has tried to fix things, but it hasn’t quite stuck. He called the plays for Nix’s first two seasons, but then handed the reins over to offensive coordinator Davis Webb this offseason. When the offense went sideways early, Payton took the play-calling duties right back. They’ve won both games since Payton stepped back in, which is good for the record, but the offense is only averaging 20 points per game in that stretch. That’s not exactly inspiring.
This struggle is a shocker, especially considering Nix’s past success. As a rookie, he led the Broncos to a 10-7 record, completing 66.3 percent of his passes for 3,775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 picks, plus another 430 yards and four scores on the ground. Last season, he upped the ante, going 14-3 and taking the Broncos all the way to the AFC Championship Game! He completed 63.4 percent for 3,931 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions, adding 356 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns. He’s always been a check-down guy, relying on YAC, but the drop-off this season is massive. Even the addition of former Dolphins wide receiver Jaylen Waddle via trade, who was supposed to make the offense more dynamic, hasn’t helped much. Waddle has put up pretty pedestrian numbers himself with 22 catches for 228 yards and only one touchdown.
Look, there’s still plenty of time left in the season for Nix, Payton, and that offense to get their act together. They’ve got a winning record, which buys them some time. But if this stagnant, “hard to watch” offense keeps rolling, you can bet the front office will keep that cautious approach with Nix’s future on their minds.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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