The Denver Broncos need quarterback Bo Nix to go guns ablazing this season. But for that to happen, he will have to be at his 100%, having ended the previous season with a broken ankle. But based on what head coach Sean Payton said about his signal caller, things seem to be right on track.

“He’s doing great,” he said to the media following the rookie minicamp on May 10, 2026. “He’ll be well ahead of time for training camp. I think there’s a good chance we see him in this offseason program in June.”

When asked about Nix possibly taking part in the Broncos’ OTA practices in early June or the team’s mandatory minicamp later that month, Payton made it clear the team plans to be careful with his recovery.

“He’s going to want to push that earlier, but we’ll be smart,” Payton said. “You’ll see him probably in [the mandatory] minicamp — probably. He’ll be full speed throwing, everything, in July before we get back here. He’s doing good.” The Broncos’ OTAs are scheduled for June 2-4 and June 8-11, followed by mandatory minicamp from June 16-18.

Nix fractured his right ankle on Jan. 17 during Denver’s 33-30 overtime playoff win over the Buffalo Bills. He later missed the AFC Championship Game loss to the New England Patriots. To repair the break, the Broncos quarterback had his first surgery on Jan. 19 and later underwent another follow-up procedure shortly before the NFL Draft. According to Payton, the cleanup procedure “was not a surprise,” and added that the staff feels “really good about where he’s at.”

Nix also sounded confident about his recovery after the surgery.

“It’ll be absolutely no issue this offseason, I’ll be able to actually start training back when I was going to start training, so don’t miss any time there.” Nix said, “I’m going to train really hard.”

However, there will have to be some caution here, as Nix is prone to getting injured.

Bo Nix had a condition that made his ankle prone to fracture

Nix has dealt with ankle injuries before and has had multiple surgeries going back to high school. In 2021, during his time with the Auburn Tigers, Nix suffered a broken ankle in a loss to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. After undergoing surgery, Nix stayed positive and shared a message on X, saying that the surgery was a “success.”

In 2022, while playing for the Oregon Ducks, Nix suffered an ankle sprain during a game against the Washington Huskies. He briefly left the game but returned and finished the season. But this problem returned in his rookie season in the NFL in 2024, when Nix suffered a vertebral fracture along with three process fractures. Even then, he continued to play.

“Yes, I got twisted up a little bit, had three process fractures,” Nix revealed in January 2025. “A lot of guys play with a lot of those kinds of things.”

But before he went under the knife yet again this year, it was found that he had a preexisting issue in his ankle. According to Payton, the fracture Nix suffered last season was really a “matter of when,” and not “if.” But Payton had no concerns about it. By that time, Nix was already making his rounds in the facility on the scooter and was scheduled to wear a boot as the rehab progressed.

Despite the injury, Nix still had a strong season. He finished with a 14-3 record and threw for more than 3,900 yards and 25 touchdowns. The Broncos will need him to operate at this elite level this year as well. And based on how things are turning out, the QB seems poised to return as planned.