Bo Nix was a dual-threat quarterback at Oregon, adding 744 rushing yards and 20 scores on the ground to his 8,101 passing yards and 74 passing touchdowns in two seasons with the Ducks.
In high school, he rushed for 2,112 yards and 34 touchdowns. The 6-2, 217-pound QB clearly knows how to make plays with his legs.
The Denver Broncos will undoubtedly utilize Nix’s mobility this season. Broncos coach Sean Payton might be reluctant to frequently call designed runs for fear of injury, but Denver can get Nix on the move with play action and rollouts this fall.
“We’ve always valued that in the position, players that can create,” Payton said in April. “I don’t think that’s new. I think that’s… You go back to [Steve Young]. So it’s our game a little bit, relative to protections and when the pocket gets a little muddy, the ability for the quarterback to move some, move a lot and make the right decisions.
“That’s the same for Zach Wilson, it’s going to be the same for Jarrett [Stidham]. Those guys have good movement skills. So it’s a trait we look for.”
Payton lumped Stidham and Wilson in with the rookie, but neither of them has demonstrated the rushing ability of Nix. It’s an area of Nix’s game that is a clear level above the other QBs on Denver’s roster.
Playing in Payton’s offense last fall, former Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson rushed 80 times, his third-highest rushing total since 2015. That doesn’t guarantee that Nix will approach 80 carries this fall, but it might reflect Payton’s willingness to let a QB make plays with his legs.
Of course, this topic will be a moot point if Nix does not end up winning the starting job. Even if it’s not in Week 1, though, Nix will eventually start for Denver and when he does, the QB’s mobility will be a weapon in Payton’s offense.
