Being the quarterback for the Denver Broncos is one of the most significant positions in the state of Colorado.

Although Peyton Manning and John Elway are icons in Denver, the team believed they had struck gold once more in Russell Wilson. Sadly, the former quarterback for the Seattle Seahawks failed in the experiment after being benched in favor of Jarrett Stidham.

According to Peter King of NBC Sports, Stidham will likely start at quarterback for the Broncos when the 2024 season begins.

“I think the Broncos will start Jarrett Stidham as their quarterback in 2024 and see what happens unless he plays absolutely horrible in the final two weeks.”

The New England Patriots selected five-year veteran Stidham in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL Draft.

Stidham never started a game in his first two seasons with New England, but he still completed 50% of his throws with two touchdowns and four interceptions.

Stidham was signed by the Las Vegas Raiders for the 2022 season; he played in two starts but lost both, but he also released some excellent movies.

Stidham completed 64% of his throws for 584 yards and four touchdowns against three interceptions in the two games. He threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns against the San Francisco 49ers in what was maybe his most dominant performance.

For the 2022 season, Stidham joined with the Las Vegas Raiders; he made two starts but lost both, but he also put out some really good films.

In the two games, Stidham completed 64% of his passes for 584 yards, four touchdowns, and three interceptions. Perhaps his most impressive performance to date was against the San Francisco 49ers, where he passed for 365 yards and three touchdowns.

Wilson has only thrown for 224 yards or more five times this season, and the Broncos have a 2-3 record when he does.

Payton commended Stidham following the game for his first-ever NFL quarterback victory.

“I felt he was quite decent. He seemed calm and cool to me. He played with such elegance, in my opinion. In comparison to a person who may not have had as many minutes as some others, he seemed experienced. That was definitely not how the game felt to you. He was effective both in and out of the huddle, in my opinion. Until I saw the tape, I believed he had made some decent throws for us generally. It went fairly well, in my opinion.

On his Denver radio show, former Broncos offensive tackle Mark Schlereth even endorsed Stidham.

“I can assure you that Russ Wilson would have gotten seven sacks if he had participated in that game. In the game, I believe he took one sack. In my opinion, Stidham had superior operational performance and pocket awareness.

“The guy has only started three games out of a possible twelve years?””The guy started three games instead of twelve, and he was more proficient in terms of operations? Was his pocket awareness better? In addition, Jerry Jeudy scored a few points in the opening frame. You got [Adam] Trautman to make a drop. I believe [Brandon] Johnson also missed one. He dodged sacks and placed the ball where it was meant to go, guy. The operational part alone, that aspect in and of itself, was significantly better under Stidham than it was under Russ. Apologies.

Broncos options at quarterback in 2024
Given that the Broncos have paid Stidham like they love him, it’s reasonable to assume that he will start for the team on opening day of the upcoming season.

Denver’s owners unlocked their wallets in 2023 during Stidham’s free agency and handed him $10 million spread over two years. That seems like a fair price for a backup quarterback.

Wilson will probably be cut for the 2024 campaign, meaning the Broncos will have to carry a $39 million dead money salary cap charge. This implies that Denver’s search for an expensive quarterback in the summer will be challenging.

Although there are always ways to get around the pay cap, the Broncos will face greater difficulties because of their roster’s need for significant improvement.

Kirk Cousins, a free agency quarterback, may be pursued by Denver, but he may decide to re-sign and play out his career with the Minnesota Vikings. For a move like this to avoid an even greater cap hit on the quarterback position, Cousins would need to get a sizable signing bonus and have his deal backloaded.

In 2024, Ryan Tannehill, Jameis Winston, Baker Mayfield, and Gardner Minshew are the other quarterbacks available as free agents.

With their first-round pick, the Broncos may also try to advance in the NFL draft in order to choose a quarterback.

In any case, it appears like the Broncos will keep searching for the ideal quarterback to help them qualify for the postseason for the first time since Manning made an appearance in the Super Bowl in 2016.

For Heavy.com, Kevin Kissner writes about the Denver Broncos. He was born in Colorado and has covered professional sports in Denver since 2012. His voice and art have been heard on WoodyPaige.com, 98.5 KYGO, and Denver’s 104.3 FM The Fan. Additional information on Kevin Kissner