Broncos Camp Chronicles: Nix Sits, Backup QB Battle Heats Up, and a $175M Flex

ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — The Broncos are one season removed from an AFC Championship Game appearance, and the mission in 2026 is simple: finish the job. Training camp is in full swing at the sparkling new $175 million facility, and the vibes are as elite as the real estate. But don't get it twisted — there's plenty of drama unfolding in the Rocky Mountain air.

QB Room Heats Up

Bo Nix will sit out Friday's preseason opener in Atlanta, meaning the spotlight shifts to the fiercest backup QB battle in the league. Jarrett Stidham and Sam Ehlinger have been trading blows all camp, and Sean Payton says both will play a half against the Falcons.

Ehlinger — who led the team with 412 preseason passing yards last year — keeps flashing, while Stidham dropped four touchdown passes in three preseason games last season. Payton called it a great room: "They're competing against the 31 other quarterbacks like any other position."

Nix is expected to see snaps in the other two preseason games. And when he's on the field, he wants his playcaller right beside him. The QB made it clear he loves the idea of first-year OC Davis Webb calling plays from the sideline: "I can have that eye-to-eye conversation."

Injury Bug Bites Hard

Center is suddenly a disaster zone. Luke Wattenberg and Alex Forsyth have missed time, and Michael Deiter was carted off Tuesday with a season-ending thigh injury. That leaves Calvin Throckmorton with the first team and undrafted free agent Gavin Ortega on deck. All-Pro guard Quinn Meinerz can play center in a pinch, but Payton really doesn't want to move one of the best guards in football.

The soft-tissue issues are also piling up. Wide receivers Jaylen Waddle and Marvin Mims Jr. have both dealt with leg injuries, while edge rusher Nik Bonitto (14 sacks in 2025) is working back from an ankle/foot issue. Payton has tweaked the practice routine, adding longer cool-downs to fight the nagging strains.

Breakout Watch

If you're scouting fantasy football sleepers, keep an eye on Marvin Mims Jr. He's been an absolute cheat code in camp, hauling in a 50-yard touchdown on a Bo Nix scramble and earning praise from new teammate Jaylen Waddle: "Marvin's a big play always ready to happen."

Undrafted free agent Pat Bryant — aka "Patty Ice" — continues to make defenders look silly. His toe-tapping, double-team-leaping red zone grab had the crowd buzzing. Offensive coordinator Davis Webb couldn't hide his excitement.

And Evan Engram is suddenly a downfield threat? The tight end has been popping off in practice, a far cry from his 9.2 yards per catch last season. He's clearly benefiting from Webb's familiarity with his game.

The New Digs Are Different

Let's talk about that facility. The Walton-Penner ownership group dropped $175 million on a 205,000-square-foot palace, and players are walking around like they won the lottery. Pat Surtain II said it best: "My expectations were high and it exceeded them. There's nothing like it in the league."

There's also shade for fans for the first time since 2003. Progress.

The expectations are sky-high, and Greg Penner isn't hiding it: "Our goal is to compete for championships every year and if we put ourselves in that position every year, we're going to be successful and win Super Bowls."

All that's left is to see who steps up when the games start counting. Buckle up, Broncos Country.