The Denver Broncos drafted Bo Nix with the 12th overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and the former Oregon quarterback entered the league with muted expectations. However, after a solid rookie season that culminated with the Broncos' first playoff appearance since 2015, the bar has been raised.
Nix impressed in his rookie season, completing 66.3% of his passes for 3775 yards, 29 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. On paper, it was the most impressive season by a Broncos quarterback in some time, and Nix’s 29 passing touchdowns were the fourth-most in franchise history, with Super Bowl-winning quarterback Peyton Manning taking up the top three spots.
Manning’s four years in Denver were wildly successful, setting records for single-season passing touchdowns and passing yards while delivering a Super Bowl to the team in his final season, and now Nix is predicted to accomplish something that hasn’t been done since Manning’s days at Mile High.
According to A to Z Sports’ Destin Adams and Kyle Crabbs, Nix is set to have a big season in 2025, with the pair predicting the second-year quarterback to deliver a top-five passing yard season for the Broncos, a club that Manning also dominated.
“The Broncos have had some all-time slingers of the football. But in the grand scheme of single-season passing yard performances, I'm ready to project Bo Nix into the top-5.” Crabbs writes. “Give me over 4,089 for Bo Nix in 2025 after he logged 3,775 passing yards as a rookie last season. The improvements to the weaponry should give Sean Payton the needed firepower to kick Denver's passing attack up a notch, and Nix now has a year of NFL seasoning under his belt.”
The last time a Broncos quarterback passed for over 4,000 yards was Peyton Manning back in 2014, when he threw for 4727 yards, 39 touchdowns, and 15 interceptions, his last Pro Bowl season in the NFL. By eclipsing the 4,000-yard mark, Nix would join an illustrious club that features Manning, John Elway, Jay Cutler, and Jake Plummer.
Adams shares Crabbs' optimism. “While the take sounds like it would be an incredible feat for Nix, it would only take a slight improvement from his rookie year. Nix only needs to add 314 yards to his total from 2024.” Adams writes, adding: “He will be more comfortable at the NFL level and in Sean Payton's offense. And Payton will likely have more trust in his QB, which will lead to him opening up more of the playbook.”
Nix impressed in Sean Payton’s offense in 2024, and the Broncos front office continued to improve his ecosystem heading into 2025, adding Evan Engram and J.K. Dobbins in free agency while drafting receiver Pat Bryant and running back R.J. Harvey.
