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Broncos Reveal What They Want Bo Nix to Change Heading Into Season

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Thomas Valentine | Last updated Jul 8, 2025 12:35 PM ET

The Denver Broncos drafted Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, hoping he could emerge as the franchise quarterback, a role that has long eluded the team. Nix’s rookie season was a huge success, as he helped lead the team to its first postseason appearance since its 2015 Super Bowl-winning season.

Nix’s numbers were excellent. He completed 66.3% of his passes for 3775 passing yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions, adding 430 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. Nix was in the top 20 in ESPN’s QBR and total EPA rankings, which isn’t easy for a rookie quarterback. As good as he was, the Broncos want more from their first-round pick heading into 2025.

Per Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, speaking on SportsCenter on Monday, the Broncos want Nix to get off to a hot start. “The Broncos have really urged Nix and the offense to get off to a stronger start, they want to make sure they’re primed and ready for the playoffs in December, not scrambling to get in.”

Nix and the Broncos' offense struggled early in his rookie season, with the team getting off to a 0-2 start, suffering losses to the Seattle Seahawks and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It was against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that the Broncos and Nix got their first win of the season, but naturally, it took until around the halfway mark of the season for the offense to truly find its feet. From Weeks 1-10, the Broncos averaged 19.7 points per game, but from Week 11 onwards, they averaged 32.5 points per game.

“Last year, they faced a ton of tough defenses early on,” Fowler said. “They want Nix to come out firing early in the season.” An easier schedule to start the season can definitely help those chances.

The Broncos face the Tennessee Titans, Indianapolis Colts, Los Angeles Chargers, and Cincinnati Bengals in the first four weeks of the season. Three of those four defenses were in the top 10 for most points allowed per game in 2024. Nix will also benefit from another offseason under Sean Payton, who is one of the best offensive minds in the NFL.

“He looks like a guy, going into Year 2, that is fully confident, that knows what he’s doing,” Fowler said of Nix. If all of the pieces of the puzzle align, the Broncos will get their wish as Nix and the offense get to work in 2025.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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