Evaluating Bo Nix's start and other observations from Broncos' preseason win vs. 49ers

New York Times

3 days ago

The Denver Broncos bounced back from a shaky start to begin their preseason with a 30-9 road victory against the San Francisco 49ers on Saturday night at Levi's Stadium. Here are the takeaways:
Bo Nix watched Courtland Sutton streak toward the end zone and aired the ball out for his No. 1 target. The second-quarter pass offered a chance for Nix and the Broncos' first-team offense to put an exclamation point on a bumpy three-drive outing Saturday. Instead, the pass hung in the air a beat too long, giving 49ers cornerback Darrell Luter Jr. enough space to knock the ball away before Sutton could snatch it.
Darrell Luter Jr. said not today ❌
📺: KPIXNFL+ // https://t.co/KTh0i4oaLh pic.twitter.com/8OTlYP5VjH
— San Francisco 49ers (@49ers) August 10, 2025
So ended an uneven preseason opener for Denver's second-year quarterback against a 49ers defense made up largely of second-string players. Nix finished 6-of-11 passing for 31 yards and a 60 passer rating. He did convert a fourth down when he hit Troy Franklin on a sharp slant route, but he also came up short on a deep pass to Franklin earlier in the drive that defensive back Chase Lucas tipped away. It was Lucas' blitz pressure on a previous possession that forced Nix into an intentional grounding penalty that resulted in a safety. Before that play, Nix missed a pass to rookie running back RJ Harvey in the flat as pressure arrived.
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'I thought we started slow,' Broncos coach Sean Payton told reporters afterward. 'That was disappointing.'
What should be taken from Nix's outing? Not much. He started the game with a well-placed deep ball down the left sideline to Sutton that the veteran receiver couldn't quite haul in. With such a limited sample size, the complexion of the first-team offense's night could have been entirely different had that play been made. The 49ers didn't do much offensively, but Mac Jones did hit Jordan Watkins for a 50-yard gain on the third play of the game that fueled an opening touchdown drive, a sequence that drew Payton's ire.
Nix never found that same highlight. He avoided negative plays, but he will want back the passes to Franklin and Sutton that didn't have quite enough on them. He'll identify where his process went wrong on the pass he missed to Harvey in the flat, but having things to correct is one of the biggest reasons Payton likes his starters to play in the preseason. Nix has a hearty list heading into the next week of practices. If Payton follows his preseason blueprint from last year, Nix would get one more start — Aug. 16 against the Arizona Cardinals — and then sit out the exhibition finale in New Orleans.
Jarrett Stidham, meanwhile, had an excellent outing for the Broncos as he guided a mix of Denver's second- and third-team offenses. He completed 14-of-15 passes for 136 yards and touchdown passes to Lucas Krull and Trent Sherfield.
The Broncos reached contract extension agreements in recent weeks with Sutton and defensive end Zach Allen. Nobody needed a reminder that Nik Bonitto is next in line for a potential massive new deal, but the All-Pro outside linebacker provided one anyway.
In the span of three plays on Denver's second defensive drive of the game, Bonitto picked up a sack and three quarterback hits. First, he blew through a chip attempt by tight end Luke Farrell to drop Jones. On the next play, Bonitto pursued Jones from the backside and brought him down along with defensive end John Franklin-Myers. (The play was originally ruled a half-sack for both players, but the takedown was later given solely to Franklin-Myers.) On third down, Bonitto nearly sacked Jones on his initial rush, but the quarterback slipped away. Bonitto stayed with the play and hit Jones while he threw to force an incompletion.
Bonitto simply wrecked the entire drive with his get-off and relentless pursuit. Coming off a season in which he produced a career-high 13 1/2 sacks and also scored two touchdowns, Bonitto may just be starting to hit his stride. And if Saturday's performance was any indication, his price is only going to go up the more he's on the field.
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The Broncos' defense got burned on the early deep ball by Jones, who placed the ball to Watkins just beyond the outstretched hands of Ja'Quan McMillian. However, Denver was dominant after that at every level of the defense. The Broncos forced four turnovers, including a diving interception by McMillian off Jones, helping him make up for the earlier loss in coverage. San Francisco quarterbacks finished with a meager 22.2 passer rating.
When the Broncos released their first unofficial depth chart of the season earlier this week, Harvey, the second-round pick out of Central Florida, was listed as the sixth running back in a six-back room. His slot was nothing more than Payton's insistence that rookies go to the 'back of the line' when it comes to the preseason depth chart, the same treatment he gave to Nix last year. A better indication of Harvey's role was how he was used on Saturday.
The rookie running back had seven carries and was also targeted twice in the passing game. He finished with 29 yards on eight touches. He showed a good nose for the edge and peeled off an 11-yard run to the outside on the lone scoring drive for Denver's first-team offense. Wide receiver Pat Bryant had a first-down catch to jumpstart a touchdown drive for Jarrett Stidham and the second-team offense. Bryant was later flagged for an offensive holding call that wiped out a big run by Jaleel McLaughlin, but he responded with a 9-yard catch on third down to extend Stidham's second touchdown drive.
On the defensive side, first-round pick Jahdae Barron got work in both the nickel and outside corner spots and finished with two tackles. Third-round defensive end Sai'vion Jones deflected a Carter Bradley pass at the line of scrimmage in the third quarter and then recovered a fumble later on the same drive that was forced by safety JL Skinner. Outside linebacker Que Robinson, a fourth-round pick who returned to practice Thursday after missing time with a bone bruise, blew up a screen pass in the second quarter to pick up a tackle for loss.
It wasn't only the drafted picks who had bright moments Saturday. Undrafted rookie linebacker Karene Reid made a leaping interception of a Bradley pass over the middle in the second quarter to set up a Broncos touchdown drive. Wide receiver Courtney Jackson, another undrafted free agent, had a 25-yard punt return as he tries to crack a spot at the back of the Broncos' roster.
WE'LL TAKE THAT!#DENvsSF | 📺: 9NEWS pic.twitter.com/NEivp8l1nl
— Denver Broncos (@Broncos) August 10, 2025
It was a rougher first outing for punter Jeremy Crawshaw, the Broncos' sixth-round pick. He averaged only 37 yards on his three punts, including one that San Francisco receiver Junior Bergen returned for 28 yards.
Blake Watson did not see the field until midway through the third quarter Saturday. Harvey, McLaughlin, JK Dobbins, Audric Estimé and Tyler Badie had already taken snaps at running back before Watson got his chance to line up in the backfield. All he did was gain 34 yards — an 18-yard rush and a 16-yard reception — on his first two plays. He later had a 14-yard reception, which included a nifty juke at the line of scrimmage, that was wiped away by an offensive penalty.
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It has been the story of camp for the Broncos since pads came on. The Broncos have seen strides from every back who has been shuffled into the rotation. Watson and Badie combined for 57 yards on eight carries Saturday, showcasing decisiveness and quick burst. Both players were listed behind Estimé and McLaughlin on the initial depth chart, but Payton has made it clear that everyone in the room remains in the mix for a roster spot.
The choices with that group are going to come down to the wire — and they didn't get any easier during Saturday's game.
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