Bo Nix faced familiar problem in Broncos debut that gave Auburn football fans déjà vu
Bo Nix didn't get proper protection from the Denver Broncos' offensive line on September 8 during the Pinson product's regular season debut. That sounds awfully familiar, doesn't it, Auburn football fans?
Sean Payton refused to put the blame on Nix during the postgame presser following a 26-20 win for the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field.
“He gave us a chance," Payton prefaced before saying, "Our protection was average at best."
Throughout the 2020 season, Nix was spending his time on the run as Gus Malzahn struggled to compete with his SEC luminaries by being unable to stack up the offensive trenches with blue-chip talent. That issue only got worse in 2021 under Bryan Harsin when a a trio of OL left the program via the transfer portal and weren't properly replaced.
This shouldn't be happening in Denver. Since Payton's arrival, the Broncos front office has not been afraid to spend and the offensive line is where $87.5 million deal (and $50 million guaranteed) was spent on Mike McGlinchey and $52 million was spent on Ben Powers.
Them not protecting Russell Wilson could've been written off as the locker room giving up on Denver's former QB1. After all, Wilson was notoriously tough to work with; demanding his own office and alienating himself from his teammates.
But Nix has been named a captain for the Broncos. It looks like it's just a skill issue. Nothing Nix hasn't experienced before. But evidently, it's something that will hold him back from winning again.
And it shouldn't be that way.
Bo Nix has rough pro debut regardless of Broncos offensive line woes
No rookie dazzled in Week 1 of the NFL season, but that doesn't excuse Nix's sub-optimal showing in Seattle. The Broncos are going nowhere fast if Nix can't show significant improvement throughout the 2024 season.
Nix is going to get patience from Payton, but that's not infinite. Results will be needed quick to fend off any urge from Denver's front office to add more competition to the QB room via the 2025 NFL draft or free agency.