The Denver Broncos quarterback carousel is spinning again. This time, it’s got a familiar tune and Colin Cowherd, the sports world’s own Monday morning quarterback, is betting big on rookie Bo Nix to potentially fill the mile-high shoes left by Russell Wilson.

On his podcast, Cowherd laid out his case for the Broncos as the NFL’s dark horse. “I think it’s Denver,” he declared, pointing to their improved defense and offensive line. He’s backing Nix, the fresh-faced rookie from Oregon, to potentially fill the cleats left by Russell Wilson. “BO NIX had 61 starts, if he’s capable if he’s Russell Wilson capable I think they’re like an eight-win team” Cowherd emphasized, suggesting that Nix’s college experience could be the X-factor in Sean Payton’s playbook.

However, this déjà vu feeling isn’t lost on Broncos fans. Just a year ago, Payton was singing Russell Wilson’s praises, saying during SiriusXM NFL Radio’s Training Camp Tour, “He’s still young enough in his career where, and [Drew Brees] is this way, once the season starts, they want all the reps, they just want to get the timing…”

Fast forward to today, and Payton’s tune sounds eerily familiar. When asked about Nix and Zach Wilson’s progress, Payton gushed, “Man, they’re doing well.” It’s like watching a rerun of last year’s quarterback hype show. But Nix is turning heads faster than a linebacker on a blitz. Offensive coordinator Joe Lombardi noted, “You can feel his 61 games played in college. With experience, a calmness comes along with it.” It seems Nix has the pocket presence of a seasoned pro, as cool as Joe Montana in the clutch.

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However, Payton’s not putting all his chips on red just yet. He’s got a full house with Zach Wilson and Jarrett Stidham also in the mix. It’s like he’s playing QB Poker, and he’s not about to show his hand early.

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The Broncos’ QB room is more crowded than a Black Friday sale. Zach Wilson, the former Jets’ wunderkind, is flexing his arm talent. As one ESPN report put it, Wilson has “the liveliest arm and potentially the biggest portfolio of throws he can make.” Meanwhile, Stidham’s got a leg up, having spent a season marinating in Payton’s offensive stew.

Payton’s approach is more calculated than a chess grandmaster. He’s divvying up reps. “We rotate. We’re rotating all of them right now,” Payton explained to pressors  3 weeks back, showing he’s learned from the ‘all-in on Wilson’ strategy that went bust.

The real showdown kicks off when training camp opens on July 23. That’s when we’ll see who can walk the walk after all this offseason talk. As Payton put it to ESPN, “We have to see it… I think the most important [thing] is the right decision.”

In the end, whether it’s Nix, Wilson, or Stidham under center, Broncos fans are hoping Payton can work his QB-whisperer magic. But they’re also wary, remembering how quickly last year’s optimism fizzled out. As the old pigskin saying goes, “On any given Sunday, anything can happen.” Broncos Country is hoping that ‘anything’ includes a return to playoff contention and not another season of broken promises and dashed hopes.