Pat McAfee suggests Bo Nix as a starter could help make Broncos’ $83,000,000 salary cap deficit less painful
Bo Nix has finally been named the starting QB for the Broncos this season. This isn't surprising as many expected Nix to be the eventual starter and win the three-horse race. NFL pro-turned-analyst Pat McAfee, however, points out another facet of Nix getting the job.
Earlier this season, the Denver Broncos cut Russell Wilson from their roster. The franchise still has outstanding payments due to him to the tune of $83 million spread over two seasons. With this financial hole the Broncos find themselves in, McAfee suggests Nix’s success could ease the pain from that financial hit.
On Wednesday, McAfee pointed out on his eponymous show on ESPN that the Broncos head coach Sean Payton had earmarked Bo Nix as his guy early on. McAfee stated that Nix is perfectly molded to be a Sean Payton QB. The 24-year-old’s quick release and pinpoint passing make him a bargain for the Broncos.
“They got a guy, I think, now, $83 million deficit in the salary cap over the next couple of years. Their one hand is going to be tied behind their back a little bit in roster construction. But it feels like this guy is going to be the perfect fit for Sean Payton's offense over there in Denver.”
Bo Nix has signed a four-year, fully guaranteed $18.6 million contract with the Broncos. He will not be eligible to renegotiate this contract until the end of the 2025 regular season. That's the same year when Wilson's $83 million will be fully paid up.
Sean Payton did not want a repeat of Patrick Mahomes with Bo Nix
In 2017, while Sean Payton was the head coach for the New Orleans Saints, he wanted to draft Patrick Mahomes. But the Kansas City Chiefs swooped in at the last minute and picked him. This time around, Payton did not want to take any chances with Bo Nix.
The coach mentioned, on the Scoop City podcast, the tactics he pulled to make sure that no other franchise could pick his player.
"Minnesota's right ahead of us; the Raiders behind us. Minnesota goes up one and they draft JJ, and now there's one, and the Jets are still on the clock. And I said to George, ‘Call the Jets, just call them’. We don't want to move up unnecessarily a pick or two, but you don't want another team to. I don't want anyone doing a deal. I don't want anything happening like Kansas City. Anybody can come.
"So, we stayed on and then I think the Jets said to George, ‘You called us. What do you want?’ He goes, ‘No, I just was checking in'. So, our concern right behind us were the Raiders. And then it was like, ‘Well, call the Raiders and see, tell them we might want to move back to see’. So, there was this, they didn't want to move up. And then there's that, minute you wait, and then we'll stay put, and the Jets make their pick. And then here we are."
Now that he has his man, Payton has bestowed upon him a huge responsibility despite Nix being a rookie QB.