QB Jarrett Stidham will start for Broncos in preseason opener

Jarrett Stidham will be the Broncos' starting quarterback on Sunday when Denver opens the preseason against the host Indianapolis Colts.

Stidham will receive approximately 15 to 20 plays, Broncos coach Sean Payton told reporters on Friday.

Payton said that rookie Bo Nix would start the club's second preseason game -- Aug. 18 against the visiting Green Bay Packers.

Nix will be the second quarterback into the contest against the Colts. Third-stringer Zach Wilson will also see some duty.

Payton said Stidham's experience is a factor in why the 28-year-old drew the start over Nix on Sunday. Stidham started Denver's final two games last season after Payton pulled the plug on Russell Wilson.

"I just think, right now, certainly he's been here, his experience," Payton said. "Next week it'll be Nix, but we're focused on this game, just with where we're at."

Stidham split his two starts with the Broncos and is 1-3 in NFL starts, the other two coming when the Las Vegas Raiders benched Derek Carr for the final two games of the 2022 season.

Overall, Stidham has passed for 1,422 yards, eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in 16 career NFL appearances.

The Broncos took Nix with the No. 12 overall pick in the 2024 draft. He had eye-popping numbers at Oregon last season, completing 77.4 percent of his passes for 4,508 yards, 45 touchdowns and three interceptions.

Payton still doesn't have a definitive time set to decide who will start the season opener against the host Seattle Seahawks on Sept. 9.

--Field Level Media