The Denver Broncos drafted Bo Nix 12th overall in 2024, and the first two seasons looked like a return on the pick. He threw 29 touchdown passes as a rookie, then passed for 3,931 yards in 2025 as the Broncos finished 14-3.
The Broncos are 5-2 this season. Nix’s passing efficiency has fallen again, and the team is winning while its quarterback produces less per attempt, which makes his next contract a harder decision than the record suggests.
Why Bo Nix’s Passing Numbers Scream Caution for Denver’s Front Office
Bo Nix’s Numbers Are Slipping
Through seven games, the 2024 first-round pick has completed 59.2% of his passes for 1,271 yards, seven touchdowns, and three interceptions. His 80.7 passer rating is down from 93.3 as a rookie, and those figures warrant caution before a long-term deal.
Nix completed 66.3% of his passes in 2024 with a 93.3 rating. He averaged 6.7 yards per attempt that season.
Each of those figures fell in 2025. The completion rate dropped to 63.4% and the rating slipped to 87.8, while yards per attempt landed at 6.4.
Through seven games this season, the completion rate sits at 59.2%. The rating is 80.7, and yards per attempt have fallen to 5.8. The shorter sample needs context, but each measure has declined. Denver went 14-3 last season, and its preseason contender outlook reflected expectations for another strong run.
Denver should wait for Nix’s passing numbers to improve rather than let the team’s record drive an extension.
Arizona Win Shows Both Sides
In Denver’s 30-16 win over Arizona, Nix threw for 222 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also ran for 73 yards and a 62-yard touchdown, but completed only 15 of 29 passes, a 51.7% completion rate.
His running gives Denver another way to move the ball. The passing numbers still need to improve.
Denver also added Jaylen Waddle to stretch the field, so the group around Nix is deeper than it was a year ago. He must turn that support into more consistent passing production.
Fifth-Year Option Gives Denver Time
Denver signed Nix to a four-year rookie deal after selecting him 12th in 2024. The contract runs through 2027, and his fifth-year option would cover 2028. Denver must decide by spring 2027.
Exercising the option would keep Nix under contract through 2028. It would also give the team another season to assess him before committing to a long-term extension.
The option salary follows league rules and becomes guaranteed when exercised. It costs money, but it separates two decisions. Denver can secure a fifth year before deciding whether Nix deserves a major extension.
Denver Should Set Clear Passing Goals
Denver should judge Nix by more than wins. Completion rate and yards per attempt are the first measures to track. Sacks and results on intermediate throws matter just as much.
Against Seattle, he threw for 107 yards without a touchdown in a 17-14 overtime win. The Thursday night game showed the gap between Denver winning and its passing attack clicking.
Denver faces Kansas City on November 1. Nix managed 131 passing yards in the 31-10 season-opening loss, as covered in Denver’s Week 1 report. The rematch offers a direct test of whether his passing has improved.
The Last Word
Denver should delay a long-term extension. Nix’s passing numbers sit below his first two seasons, and the fifth-year option gives the Broncos a way to keep him without committing to a major deal now.
The 5-2 record shows Denver can compete. It does not settle whether Nix can sustain efficient passing.
The team should give him the rest of the season and measure his progress before making the option decision next spring. If his accuracy and yards per attempt rebound, Denver can discuss a long-term deal with better evidence. If they do not, the option preserves another year to evaluate him.
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