Sean Payton already dubbed Bo Nix a soon-to-be top-5 quarterback, but that might not stop the head coach from taking the Denver Broncos in an entirely different direction.
Payton and the Broncos entered the season believing they had found their quarterback of the future after going to the playoffs in Nix’s rookie year. And sitting atop the AFC West with an 8-2 record should seemingly support the belief that Nix is their guy. But after another ugly win on Thursday Night Football, where Nix failed to do much offensively, Colin Cowherd wondered if Payton might be getting antsy.
“Sean Payton is a very impatient guy,” Cowherd said on his Friday show. “He also understands the urgency at quarterback, unlike a lot of coaches in this league. I wonder – because the roster, the O-line is set, the D-line is set, the pass rush, the receivers – would Sean Payton draft another quarterback? I’m dead serious. Bo Nix has regressed badly. His completion percentage is now toeing that back-up quarterback line…his passer rating has plummeted…he is a significantly worse quarterback this year than last.”
“I’ve gone from a buy to a hold to a potential sell on Bo Nix,” Cowherd added. “I’ve got seven straight weeks of this stuff.”
The question is whether Payton has similarly already gone from a buy to a hold and potential sell on Bo Nix. And further, whether Payton might be sharing that information with Cowherd. Payton and Cowherd are friendly; the current Broncos head coach made regular in-studio appearances on The Herd during his one season with Fox.
Considering their relationship, it’s reasonable to wonder if Payton has continued talking to Cowherd and may have expressed a current dissatisfaction with Nix. The Broncos’ offense has looked bad under Payton this season. But the one person you can almost guarantee won’t accept responsibility for the offensive struggles is Sean Payton.
Denver has just one touchdown in their last 17 drives, and Cowherd was quick to call out the odd double pass decision on a third and one Thursday night. But Cowherd also made sure to note, “Sean Payton didn’t get dumb,” claiming the Broncos head coach is just trying to protect his quarterback because “he knows that Bo Nix is not right upstairs.”
The idea of the Broncos already considering a change at quarterback while owning an 8-2 record with Nix, who led them to the playoffs last season, seems crazy. But when you connect the dots, it’s hard not to wonder if Cowherd’s hot take is coming from a very impatient Denver Broncos head coach.
About Brandon Contes
Brandon Contes is a staff writer for Awful Announcing and The Comeback. He previously helped carve the sports vertical for Mediaite and spent more than three years with Barrett Sports Media. Send tips/comments/complaints to bcontes@thecomeback.com