When Sean Payton declared Bo Nix “the type of quarterback who fits any system,” it landed like a mission statement. With the arm, composure, and processing that scream franchise potential, Nix was cast as the long-term answer. But amidst all the hype around him, Orange Crush legend Craig Morton might’ve taken it to another level. A little teaser: he mentioned Nix in the same breath as Aaron Rodgers.

At last year’s reunion, Morton crossed paths with then-rookie Bo Nix, and he was absolutely sold. “He’s got a great presence, and he’s got great fundamentals. We had at Cal, Jared Goff, who had that, and Aaron Rodgers, who certainly had that. Of all the quarterbacks in his (2024 draft) class, I would have taken him,” he noted, comparing Nix with A-Rod. Those praises definitely increased the pressure to perform top notch on Nix.

The hard evidence backs up the belief. As a rookie in 2024, Nix piled up 3,775 passing yards with 29 touchdowns against a 93.3 rating across all 17 starts. And that was before 430 rushing yards and four more rushing touchdowns. He steered Denver to a 10–7 finish and a playoff ticket in the 2024 season, all while ranking top-15 in completion rate.

Morton dropped the Aaron Rodgers comparison when he lauded Nix’s “presence” and fundamentals. Think of the feel in the pocket, pre-snap reads, and coverage manipulation. These aren’t predictions; they’re tape-based observations. The numbers back it up, too: Nix hit 66.3% completion in 2024 and saw his yards-per-attempt and TD pace climb as the season went on. Only a vet can spot those similarities on tape.

Morton went one step further: among that 2024 QB group, he said he would have taken Nix. Now that’s bold. Be mindful of the fact that the 2024 draft class featured QBs like Michael Penix Jr., Drake Maye, and Jayden Daniels. Yeah…bold might be an understatement. A rather strong narrative for a kid who joined the team as the 12th overall pick in the 2024 draft.

But this only adds to the expectations going into the 2025 season. Sean Payton sure expects him to step up big time. And while we’re at Payton, he just waived 13 players. Yeah, that’s when the reality sinks in. Week 1 is approaching, and fast.

Sean Payton cuts 13 players

If Morton’s praise cranked the hype, Sean Payton’s roster manoeuvres turned the dial toward accountability. Denver hit the first wave of cuts, trimming 13 players. Yeah, and the names involve players like RB Audric Estime and CB Damarri Mathis. They were part of the race to make the 53-man roster and were likely candidates at that.

Moreover, losing key depth can pile extra pressure on a young QB. Waiving Estime thinned an already crowded backfield, letting go of Damarri Mathis dents cornerback depth, and multiple rookie UDFAs and borderline linemen were also shown the door. This excessive cutting down has left the team rather short on developmental pieces.

And it’s not over just yet. Denver still has 23 cuts to make before hitting the 53-man limit at 2 p.m. on August 26, then can stock a 16-player practice squad starting 10 a.m. the next day. Expect to see more surprises. Because when it comes to Sean Payton, you can never really predict who’s going to be on the final roster.

But you can tell that Sean Payton is better prepared than he has been in the last few seasons. And the offseason moves told the same story. The most notable signing? Evan Engram is on a two-year deal to give Nix an experienced security blanket in the intermediate passing game. Ideal signing. A clear attempt to add proven receiving chops to the offense. That’s a plus for Nix and Payton’s scheme. But one thing’s clear: Bo Nix will be at the center of everything this season as far as the Broncos are concerned.