After cutting Russell Wilson and his mammoth contract, the Denver Broncos are in the market for a new starting quarterback. But at this point, it’s anyone’s guess who will eventually take the job.
The Denver Broncos are searching for a leader who can act as a sort of extension of head coach Sean Payton, in addition to a signal-caller.
But according to NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport, backup Jarrett Stidham will “get the first shot” at being the Denver Broncos’ Week 1 starter, unless something drastic happens between now and then.
Jarrett Stidham started for the Denver Broncos last year
Jarrett Stidham is seen as the in-house replacement for Russell Wilson because he did, in fact, start over him in a few games last season. In the three 2023 regular-season games he played for Denver (two starts), Stidham had 496 passing yards, two touchdowns, and one interception for a 60.6 completion percentage, but he was also sacked seven times.
Stidham joined the Denver Broncos last season via a two-year, $10 million contract after spending his first four NFL seasons with the New England Patriots and the Las Vegas Raiders. At the time, Sean Payton was effusive in his praise of Jarrett Stidham, saying he “is moving in a direction where he can become an NFL starter.”
“Quietly, Stidham was an important signing for us. The number one push behind this, and it’s a decision I’m making, is to get a spark offensively,” said Payton. “He’s a guy I’m anxious to see play. If I didn’t feel like he gave us a chance to win, then we wouldn’t be making that move.”
The Denver Broncos don’t have the financial means to dip into the open market
With Russell Wilson’s contract counting against the salary cap, the Denver Broncos, who are now roughly $19 million over the cap, are not in a position to sign a veteran signal-caller in the open market.
With the No. 12 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, the Denver Broncos are unlikely to get a franchise-caliber quarterback prospect like Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, or JJ McCarthy. Michael Penix Jr. and Bo Nix are more realistic options, but they have yet to play a single snap in the NFL.